So many people seem to think that relocating is a wonderful and nice thing to do for the animal. I think that they never think about the fact that relocation can be more cruel (and dangerous)than putting them down. This is especially true if you are talking about an animal that has come from a city, or some like environment.
This is an animal that is used to people providing its food, i.e. garbage, chickens, pet food etc. and it is generally not very afraid of people. You catch the animal in a cage and you drive it out to the country and "relocate" it. How nice.
The animal is scared, hungry and lost. It now has to avoid the resident population that will relentlessly harass/kill any invaders, find shelter, and try to find its own food.
If there are any people unfortunate enough to be living in the area, they will now inherit the animal, as they see people as a food source, so to speak. Their garbage, pets, livestock etc. has now become fair game.
If there are no people around, this animal that is used to raiding garbage cans and bird feeders actually has to hunt for food. So many cannot cope and are killed in one way or another. Usually they starve to death, are killed by the resident of the territory or hit by a car. Some will succumb to disease and others will be shot.
The fate of former pets, dogs, cats and such; is usually worse all around. Not only for the animal itself but for anyone who lives in the area as well as resident wildlife. Feral animals are a huge problem in so many ways, especially when they pack up!
I am by no means saying that all relocated animals meet a grizzly end or turn into frothing packs of ravenous killers. That is certainly not the case. Thousands of animals are successfully and properly relocated every year. That, being the key word,
properly!!
I just want people to stop and really think about all the consequences of something like relocating an animal.
I mean, It's hard enough on people to move, and as a general rule our neighbors don't try to kill us when we move into their neighborhood!
Well,
most neighbors anyway.
Most of us don't play in traffic too often either.
