The Thurmont Code Enforcement Office has received numerous complaints regarding an outbreak of skunks in the area of Tippin Drive, Redhaven Court, and Bosc Court in Thurmont. It is important that all residents understand not to feed wildlife. Consider these facts before you feed wildlife.
- Providing unnatural food encourages wildlife to congregate in numbers, leading to territorial fighting and attacks by predators.
- Wild animals may bite, scratch, or threaten people or pets. Wildlife fed by humans often lose their natural fear of people. Nearly any wild animal, no matter how timid it may appear, is capable of inflicting injury to humans, pets, and livestock.
- Feeding a single wild animal can quickly lead to having many at your doorstep and at the doorsteps of those that live near you.
- Wild animals may come into conflict with your pets, with potentially disastrous results.
- Wild animals could bring parasites into your yard that could be deadly to you, your family, and your pets.
- Wild animals can carry many diseases that readily spread to people, pets, and livestock, including rabies, Lyme disease, salmonellosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, distempers, and encephalitis.
- Wild animals may become dependent upon humans, making them more dangerous by having no fear towards humans.
- Wildlife you feed today may be killed as pests tomorrow.
Don’t harm wildlife with your kindness. Help them remain healthy, safe, and free. Please do not feed the wildlife, for their health and for your safety.
For more information regarding feeding wildlife, please look at Maryland Department of Natural Resources at www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/Feeding-Wildlife.aspx.
