Almost everyone knows that no matter how much you may want to, you should never feed wild animals. Yet, with all the stories that reach us, it’s clear that just because people know they shouldn’t do something, there’s no guarantee that they will actually abide.
One story like this recently went viral. A woman who kept feeding raccoons for more than 3 decades ended up having to call 911 for help when these wild animals decided to bring a whole lot of friends, surrounding and harassing their feeder, demanding food. Scroll down to learn all about it!
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Some people tend to ignore warnings about feeding the wildlife until the only option left is to call for help
Image credits: KOMO News (YouTube)
A woman had been feeding wild raccoons outside her house for over 35 years until one day, their number suddenly increased, with the animals becoming quite aggressive
This story started as innocently as any other. Roughly 35 years ago, a woman living in Poulsbo, Washington, started feeding a few local wild raccoons that would come by her house. She undoubtedly loved these animals, so what could be the harm in helping out these little fellows, right?
At first, everything seemed fine. The raccoons kept returning, occasionally bringing some more of their friends and, later, even their babies. However, while the visitor numbers appeared manageable for the most part, for some undetermined reason, they suddenly spiked over 3 decades later. Soon, the woman actually found herself in quite some trouble, realizing what she’d done.
Image credits: KOMO News (YouTube)
The woman was starting to get harassed by the raccoons who would scratch her house and her car, demanding food, so she decided to call 911 for help
It was just a few days ago when Kitsap County’s Sheriff’s Department received a call from said woman, who explained that she just had to flee her property, being chased out by roughly 100 angry raccoons.
“She said those raccoons were becoming increasingly more aggressive, demanding food, that they would hound her day and night - scratching at the outside of her home, at the door,” shared Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kevin McCarthy. “They would surround the car, scratch at the car, surround her if she went from her front door to her car or went outside at all.”
Image credits: KOMO News (YouTube)
The woman was referred to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who instructed her to stop feeding the animals, and the creatures have since started to disperse
When the officers arrived on the scene and found themselves surrounded by a swarm of wild raccoons, they were shocked. Still, upon closer examination, they determined that neither side committed any crimes, and since this issue was of the woman’s own making, she would have to deal with it herself.
The officers referred the woman to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, which consulted her on the next steps to take in dealing with this problem. “The raccoons appear to have started dispersing now that they are no longer being fed, and we are glad for a positive outcome to this case,” the department’s spokesperson, Bridget Mire, told ABC.
Image credits: KOMO News (YouTube)
Image credits: KOMO News (YouTube)
Feeding wildlife is never a good idea for many different reasons, no matter how you may feel about it
While some people may not mind being swarmed by hundreds of raccoons, feeding wildlife is almost never a good idea, and according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, there are quite a few reasons why.
First and foremost, human food is often unhealthy for animals. Wild animals naturally eat specialized diets and are perfectly capable of providing for themselves. By feeding them, people put these creatures at risk of malnourishment and even death if fed the wrong food.
Image credtis: WVLT News (YouTube)
However, health concerns are not only about animals. When too much wildlife starts gathering in one place, the chances of diseases being transmitted increase drastically, and they can spread not only among animals but people as well.
Moreover, a large concentration of animals in a single place can become an issue in other ways, too. For example, if a lot of birds start gathering near an airport, the chance of bird-aircraft collision drastically increases. The same goes for animals waiting for food near roads, leading to vehicle-animal accidents.
Image credtis: WVLT News (YouTube)
Lastly, wildlife that becomes accustomed to people tends to stop fearing them, leading to aggression and situations just like the one in our story. But while the raccoons that this woman was feeding backed off when the food flow ceased, other times, wild animals become so aggressive that they have to be put down, making some of those tales a lot sadder.
So, in the end, no matter how cute you think that little creature outside your window looks, please refrain from giving it food. It may seem truly harmless and even feel like you’re doing them a favor, but the truth is quite the opposite, and it is something that everyone should be aware of.
What did you think about this story? Did you previously know that feeding wildlife could lead to such consequences? Share it all in the comments below!
The commenters found the story amusing and had many similar stories to share of their own
