Ho ho ho - it's Pet Pics with Santa time!!

Thanks to our great sponsors, Gary and Tim Goss at Pet Food Outlet, we're again geared up for PET PICS WITH SANTA PAWS. 

We've got three weekends in a row set up.  Here's the details for you:

WHERE: 

Pet Food Outlet, 824 Ontario Road, Welland ON. 

(corner of Ontario Rd. and Wright St., just across from the Rose City Plaza on Ontario Rd.) 

PHONE: 905-735-7387

DATES: 

Sat. Nov. 28 and Sun. Nov. 29

Sat. Dec. 5 and Sun. Dec. 6

Sat. Dec. 12 and Sun. Dec. 13

TIME: 

10 am to 5 pm each day



Santa will be in on Sundays only this year.  On Saturdays your pet will be photographed in a festive holiday setting.  This is a great choice if your pet is a wee bit nervous around strange Santa's (some are).

We take plenty of shots, and we take our time, allowing the pet to settle in.  You can choose the picture you want!  If you are ordering more than one print, you can choose a different shot for the additional photos, we don't limit you to only one picture as some do.

Your photos will be ready in a week, and we'll call you if they're in sooner.  You will receive them in a holiday mat inside a card.  That makes them especially nice for gifts and stocking stuffers this holiday season.  (8 x 10 and wallet pics excepted).  You can choose from many sizes, from wallet photos to 8 x 10's and every size in between.  We also have a holiday special bonus pack, a variety of sizes that will let you give some away and keep some. Prices start at $10. 

If your pet is nervous or shy around other animals, just let us know and we'll work around that.  Bring them in a safe enclosure if they are a bit nervous so they have a chance to adjust.  Please keep your dogs on leash for their protection.  If your pets are boisterous just let us know in advance and we'll work with that.  Photos are not limited to just cats or dogs.  We welcome any species as long as they aren't aggressive or illegal to own in Ontario.  We've photographed birds, bunnies, ferrets, guinea pigs, mice, and snakes.  Nothing is too strange for a holiday photo.

Be sure to bring your kids and other family members.  Sometimes the best shots are those with the entire family in them.  Groups are welcome too.

All proceeds from this event benefit Niagara Wildlife Haven, a federally and provincially licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre in Niagara.  It allows us to continue to keep the doors open and provide skilled professional care for orphaned, injured and displaced native Niagara wildlife. 

Although, we're not expecting much of a harsh winter due to el nino (or is it nina?) you'll need to use your magical imagination and pretend it's snowy, wintry weather to get in the spirit of things.  At least you don't have to shovel the pretend kind!

 

So what are you waiting for?  Pick up the phone and call to book your sitting now! 905-735-7387

 

ho ho ho!! 

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They walked - we watched...

Recently we put up a small display at the Niagara Falls Humane Society Walkathon. It was great! We managed to get two photos of the day and here they both are:

Lower photo: Dakoda, MC, Joan
Upper photo: Joan, Nick, Dakoda, MC



The weather held up for them (no rain) and they raised over 13K for the animals. Niagara Falls is an awesome humane society!! Marilyn did an outstanding job organizing this one and the only thing missing was food and beverages. Hopefully next year that will be added. They had everything else - raffles, a silent auction (yeah, I got what I wanted!) and vendors with all sorts of animal related information and items.

If you missed it this year, don't miss it next year. We'll be back there for sure. They have grounds there that are very suited for this type of event and it's relaxing.

We even came across an injured baby mouse in the parking lot and took him in for care, but alas, he didn't make it. We took Charlie the Crow with us and he was happy to say Hello - as long as he was under the table. Put him on the table and he had nothing to say. Typical crow. He's a riot though here at home. Practically runs the house by himself. Loves the dogs. (It's because they have food that he loves them.)

My sincere thanks to Nick, Joan and Dakoda for their help and to BJ for loaning us the tent. Without killing each other we managed to put the tent up. Lots of teeth being gritted but no murders. You guys and gals are all the best!!

We've been busier than bees in a sticky hive. We're up to our necks in baby wildlife and trying to fundraise at the same time. Admissions are at an all time high. Not an easy task.

This coming weekend (June 20, 21) we'll be at the Welland Rose Festival Family Day at the Welland Arena parking lot. We have a booth there for information and if you're in the area, drop by and say hello.

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PETA's position on TNR and feral cats - a MUST read!!

Never in my entire life did I ever think that I'd be in agreement with any of PETA's positions but I have always strived to keep an open mind about issues and look at both sides. (This can be similar to having the plague, trust me.) I'm even capable of changing my mind on issues, if the situation merits it, which is a lot more than I can say about feral cat advocates.

So here's a short paragraph from a letter written by PETA, in regards to TNR programs. (See link below for entire letter)

"You may be surprised to know that PETA is generally opposed to “releasing” cats outdoors to roam freely. Our extensive experience with TNR programs and “managed” feral cat colonies have made clear that these programs - unless they comply with stringent guidelines that protect the cats and the animals whom the cats hunt - are simply not in animals’ best interests.


Having witnessed firsthand the gruesome things that can happen to feral cats, we cannot in good conscience oppose euthanasia as a humane alternative for dealing with overpopulation. We don’t take this position lightly, and we realize it’s considered controversial."

This is an incredible letter! Congratulations to PETA for cutting to the chase and for speaking the absolute truth. I may not agree with all of PETA's policies but they are so dead on right with their assessment of this issue!

Yes, I advocate for native wildlife, who are losing their habitat at an alarming rate and suffering worse than they ever have. It's the reason I'm in this profession and do what I do. Someone has to give a pile of coon poop about wildlife and that's what I do. Willingly, voluntarily, for free. No complaints. No one puts a gun to my head in the morning and forces me to do this. I could go get a paying job, but, no thanks. I'd rather do what I am doing. Jumping through regulatory fire hoops in keeping my licenses, undergoing inspections by people who don't know squat about the work we do but who hold the power to not sign our permits and spending money I don't have to continue to acquire the educational credits I need to keep my license. It may not be much but it does make a difference to the wild animals in my hands.

I don't hate cats. I think we've already established that. We live with a whole bunch of them. Formal strays/ferals. Every last one of them. What I can't stand is the belief that feral cat colony advocates have that dumping these cats back to live outside is humane and that they are doing a favour for the cats and giving them a good life by once again abandoning them to the outdoors. Think about that. What a horrible life! We live in an area of Canada that experiences all four seasons and our winters and summers, at their peak, can be very harsh. Those cats are out there subject to those elements while their 'caretakers' are where? Home in their heated or air conditioned homes or apartments? What about the cats? You've trapped them once and just like any good self respecting raccoon, they're not going to venture into a trap again if they need medical treatment. And they will need that. How truly inhumane of all of you to say you care about the cats and then inhumanely just dump them back outdoors like they were discarded pieces of trash, knowing they kill wildlife, knowing they themselves are subjected to becoming prey for wild animals bigger than they are.

Read PETA's letter here. It's well worth the short time it will take you to do that. You owe it to yourself to be informed. This speaks the raw and honest truth - even if it isn't politically correct.

My thanks to PETA!

http://flagpole.com/Weekly/Letters/CatsAreBack.17Dec08

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Emotion Packed Letters to the Editor - no facts

Re: Feral Cat Problem – Kristi Mallinson Vogel’s letter, (The Tribune, Feb. 25)

Thanks to Ms. Vogel and others for their sentiments on free-ranging stray/feral cats in Port Colborne. Most comments were emotion based, rather than factual.

I’ve contributed nearly 30 years of my life to hands-on, animal welfare work. A large part of it willingly, and voluntarily helping stray/feral cats, housing over 30 such cats (at one point) paying for spay/neuter and providing medical care for them. Some are still here - an integral part of our family.



I agree that education is primary but this proposal doesn’t have that component. To tackle the problem at its source, rather than its sorrowful ending, spaying/neutering and licensing (identification) of cats (and dogs) must be made mandatory by by-law. If this TNR proposal is allowed to go ahead, Port Colborne will be in violation of their own cat by-law (No. 4949/5/07 - 22 January 2007), “No person who owns or possesses a cat shall allow or permit his or her cat to be at large."

The city can be a leader if it were to facilitate a concept called Animal ‘Care’ and Control, rather than bare bones Animal Control - which is no more than a never-ending, round ‘em up system. This proposed TNR program only guarantees these cats won't reproduce. It won't stop the ongoing dumping of more cats – that takes far more than what is being proposed here.

The current concept does nothing more than return the animals to possible death from fights, contagious diseases like FeLV, FIP, FIV, and FP – in short, a horrible life spent as free-roaming strays/ferals. Some of the cats may be disease carriers and won’t die immediately, but they do put other cats and wild animals at risk of exposure. Average life expectancy of an indoor cat? 12-15 years. Strays/Ferals - if lucky, 3-5 years. Your proposal is missing a key element and that involves keeping the cats in an enclosure, more commonly known as TNRE (Trap/Neuter/Release/Enclose). A TNRE program could be a benefit only if those key elements to prevent the problem are established first.

Cats who are healthy enough must be released into a secure enclosure that protects them from predators, prevents other cats from entering the colony, keeps them from becoming road kill, and prevents the killing of native wildlife. Large enough for all colony cats, it should contain a permanent form of shelter for them - not Styrofoam boxes parked on the landscape. Caretakers could ensure the cats remain healthy, and spend time to earn their trust to re-home some of them. There is no current plan in writing, in the form of a bylaw (these do exist) to demonstrably measure the success of the proposal and guarantee proper care.

UK studies show that 9 million pet cats were responsible for killing nearly 150 million wild animals in a one-year period. If 50 trapped/neutered and released cats continue roaming they will be responsible for the death of approximately 800 wild animals and birds. If the cats contribute to the needless destruction of even one of Ontario’s species at risk, does that not matter? Who will take responsibility for saving those fragile wild lives?

The Society for Conservation Biology is about to publish a paper in its Journal titled ‘Critical Assessment of Claims Regarding Management of Feral Cats by Trap-Neuter-Return’ (Longcore, Rich, Sullivan 2000) which scientifically contradicts all claims made in favour of managed feral cat colonies. Domestic cats are on the list of the 100 most invasive species globally (Lowe et. al 2000). Before these cats are allowed to continue to live there (TNR or otherwise) I’d suggest Port Colborne conduct an environmental study to gauge the impact on species conservation, and human health.

Alternatively, building an enclosure to safely house the cats would cost far less and would more than humanely solve the problem of any additional expense. The cats would be safe and so too would our native wildlife. Most letter writers advocate the humane treatment of animals, and purport no-kill philosophies. Sadly, those values appear to exclude native wildlife.

Note: If anyone would like to obtain a copy of the published study that debunks the myths about feral cat colonies, you can view an abstract and order a copy of the Conservation Biology Journal here: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122216162/abstract

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Special tags to measure how often cats kill

Electronic tracking will test scientists' theory that Britain's 9m feline pets slay 150m animals a year

Robin McKie, science editor The Observer, Sunday 15 February 2009

Wildlife researchers have hired the services of some unusual helpers: 200 neighbourhood cats equipped with electronic tags. The animals have been recruited in an attempt to discover how much wildlife destruction is wrought by feline pets.

Some experts believe Britain's 9m cats could be killing more than 150m birds, mice, rabbits, moles and other creatures every year. For species such as the house sparrow - whose numbers are dwindling sharply - cat predation could be a serious threat. Others, however, say cats mainly kill sick, weak or old creatures and are not a major problem.



The Reading University project, led by Rebecca Dulieu, a biologist, has been set up to provide answers, using electronic tracking and computing analysis to monitor cat movements in unprecedented detail. "We know what cats do in our homes - they sleep," said Dulieu. "But we have virtually no idea of what they get up to outdoors, particularly at night. Now we can find out."

A typical project recruit is Guinness, an 11-year-old black moggie owned by Robert Davey, an IT engineer. He has been given a diary to record his cat's kill record and a plastic bag to store the bodies. These are then analysed by Dulieu.

"We have found our cats are bringing back, on average, 4.8 dead animals a year," Dulieu said. "Most are mice but there are also rats, dormice and shrews. Birds make up about a third of the total. One cat even brought back a weasel."

The kill rate found by Dulieu would therefore suggest that British cats bring back about 40m creatures a year to their homes. However, previous studies have also indicated that only 30% of dead animals are actually returned to homes. Large prey, such as rabbits, are too heavy, while very small creatures are usually eaten on the spot, for example.

That analysis suggests, in turn, that the average cat's annual kill record must be closer to 16 - which in turn suggests that about 145m wild animals are perishing at the paws and claws of the nation's feline population every year. However, even that figure may be an underestimate. Some studies put the cat's kill return rate at about only 20% - which would raise their overall toll even further, to almost 200m. "The trouble is that we do not have enough reliable data about cats' outdoor activities, especially at dark," said Dulieu. "We could be overestimating or underestimating their kill return rate quite significantly.

"For the first time, cats will be fitted with data loggers that will show their movements, range and behaviour 24 hours a day. We will know when one kills an animal - typically by the way it plays with its prey.

"We will then be able to work out precisely how many animals a cat is killing every year, and from that estimate a national figure. It will be a pretty formidable number."

• Pets are are being abandoned or killed by owners unable to afford to keep them, animal rescue centres report. "From being a nation of animal lovers, it seems people are increasingly counting the pennies and realising how many of them are spent caring for their pets," said Scott Craddock, of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

The Blue Cross has reported a 30% rise in the number of animals being brought in and the RSPCA said its centres were "full to bursting".

This article was first published on guardian.co.uk at 00.01 GMT on Sunday 15 February 2009. It appeared in the Observer on Sunday 15 February 2009 on p23 of the News section. It was last updated at 00.30 GMT on Sunday 15 February 2009.

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Paying for feral cat colonies - Port Colborne City Council has a loose connection!

Letter to Port Colborne City Council re: $5,000 grant to trap/neuter/release 20 'feral' cats on the lakeshore.

FERAL or DOMESTIC CATS ARE NOT 'WILD' ANIMALS

Dear Mayor Badawey and council members,

Re: Port may spend $5,000 to trap, neuter and release feral cats (Tribune Wed. Feb. 4, 2009)

With disbelief, I read that Port council is considering a $5,000 grant to round up feral cats along the lakeshore. Mayor Vance Badawey appears to have sense when he acknowledges this as only a draft approval. Councillor Barb Butters on the other hand, was quoted as saying “Sometimes the stars align in the right place at the right time.” Let’s hope Mayor Badawey puts his ability to good use and attempts to realign the stars in Councillor Butters’ head.



Council also discussed their need to trim the budget stating, “There is "still a lot of work to do.” Reporter Mark Tayti summed up by saying it will take sharper pencils than were being wielded. He’s correct. Council can trim $5,000 off the top by not approving a poorly thought out plan to spend taxpayers’ money - on just 20 feral cats for whom this plan is no more than pie in the sky.

Council has an obligation to protect indigenous wildlife – not cats. Wild animals are a heritage - a natural resource entrusted to all of us. This earth is their home. Lake Erie is part of a major flyway for thousands of migratory wild birds, a stopover point on their arduous northward journey. Those species have a right to be there and we must preserve and protect them, not a select group of 20 cats.

Feral cats are not native wild animals. They are domesticated animals that live in despicable conditions having been dumped at some point by irresponsible pet owners. Within 2-3 yrs, they become distrustful of humans – but that reaction does not magically transform them into wild animals. It is possible to regain the trust of some of those cats and every effort to do that should be the first step. These are cats who have forgotten how to interact with human beings.

Spaying/neutering/vaccinating, releasing, and continuing to feed feral cat colonies is wasting taxpayers’ money. I firmly believe that it is far more merciful to trap those cats and humanely end their suffering if there are no other options. It is no different than a dog that for various reasons continues to display aggression, can’t be trusted as a family companion animal, and can’t be in the company of people. Is anyone proposing to spay/neuter and release those dogs into feral colonies? The city has a contract for animal control with the Welland and District Humane Society and one would assume that rounding up lost, stray, or homeless cats is part of that mandate.

It’s mind boggling that any humane society would advocate housing and feeding cats outdoors as being acceptable. The damage that domestic cats do to wildlife is well documented. If they aren’t aware of that fact, they should be. The suffering these cats continue to endure living in such colonies, is another important factor that has not been addressed. Why would Port Colborne want to promote that?

As a provincially and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator, the sheer number of indigenous wild animals I admit to our rehabilitation facility that have been maimed beyond hope, by cats - feral or otherwise - is shocking. It’s a never-ending revolving door. Although cat caught birds compromise the largest numbers, a bored, well fed pet cat won’t hesitate to maim, toss, and chew up a small mammal – just for fun.

Cats also carry Pasteurella multocida bacteria in their saliva, and if antibiotics aren’t administered within 24 hrs of a bite, or contact with that saliva and ingestion of the bacteria, it proves fatal to the bird or mammal. In the grand scheme of things, it may not appear to be such a tragic loss when more common bird species are cat injured or killed (although that is not an acceptable part of nature in any way) but when I see less common birds in this area maimed by cats owned by irresponsible people it is disheartening.

A baseless excuse at best is the argument that a domestic cat will only predate on the weakest of any given species as if that somehow makes it ok for them to kill wildlife. It is true that the weakest of any species is subject to predation and that this is the way of nature and wild animals are part of the food chain. It is not true however, that cats are wild animals so they are not part of that chain. Their presence outdoors is un-natural. Those who claim that cats help by eating and killing only pest species such as mice need to remind themselves that the mouse would likely have been another wild animals dinner and now it’s been deprived of that meal by a domestic cat.

If Vogel and her group want to help these cats, then by all means, trap them and take them home to assess them and care for them. It is a false claim that they can never be indoor cats again. With time and attention, some of them will come around and settle in and others will be content to keep distant and remain shy, from their new owner, but still live a far better life indoors. Those too traumatized to forget the horrors inflicted on them certainly don’t deserve to live appalling lives, being dumped back outside by any group of people using taxpayers dollars.

People who promote TNR (trap/neuter/release) believe that it’s humane to put these cats back outside. Facts belie that. These cats have greatly shortened life spans, are subject to death by vehicle impact, territorial fights, disease, parasites and more. Any vaccinations given do not last a lifetime, e.g. there is no lifetime rabies vaccine. Booster shots must be continued or these cats will once again be subjected to diseases that they will pass on to wildlife or other cats they come in contact with (feline panleukopenia for example.) They will be infested with fleas, ticks and tapeworms within months of being released, and will be carrying a veritable banquet of internal parasites continuing to re-infect themselves and others.

They are forced to endure the ravages of the seasons, suffering through our highest heat spells all the way down to our harshest winter periods. Is the colony caregiver going to be there when the winds are blowing and the temperatures are sub zero and roads are impassable? How long will a bucket of water stay unfrozen on such days or dishes of food remain mould, maggot, and fly free in hot summer months?

The idea of putting out food for them is fundamentally wrong. It is an open invitation to other species to come into the area that would normally not be there and creates an imbalance in nature. Free food is free food in the wild animal kingdom, those wild prey species don’t care if food was put there for the cats. Food attracts rodents, which in turn attract more wildlife.
There’s one more thing these feral cat colonies will do – encourage the irresponsible dumping of more unwanted cats and kittens in that same area once word gets out. For transparency to the citizens (taxpayers funds), the location needs to be disclosed, not kept secret. What provisions and oversights are in place to ensure these animals are treated well? Who oversees that?

Numerous folks know all too well that if they feel sorry for a stray cat and feed it, then contact the humane society for help, they are told that you are considered the legal owner of the cat if you are feeding and provide care for it. Justifiably so, the humane society cannot help if the cat has a caretaker/owner. Does the city of Port Colborne intend to become legal owners of these cats? They will be if they provide this money to this group. This is not funding for a picnic, a parade, or a festival.

The group spouts statistics and states that what has happened in San Francisco will work the same in Port Colborne. Wake up! San Francisco - population: 799,183 (2007); Port Colborne – population: 18,450. San Francisco – 16 million tourists in 2007, economy - major financial, biomedical, biotechnology centre with highly skilled workforce and a median family income of $67,809 (2005). It is absurd and irresponsible to make that comparison. It also fails to take into account that much more than just a TNR program was initiated in San Francisco and is paid for in full by the city. Port is a unique and vibrant community - but it’s not San Francisco.

Stray cats in distress should be captured by the agency currently being paid to do so. Port Colborne already pays the Welland & District SPCA for animal control – why is it necessary to pay a second group for the same job?

If this new group wants to assist, then work with the SPCA and after the claiming period passes take the cats home to foster them for individual assessment and evaluation. Rehabilitate them. Those that cannot be integrated back to living as indoor cats in a safe home setting should then be humanely euthanized. Give them that gift of freedom from the wretched life you are attempting to force them to endure. It is a far more merciful thing to do than what is being proposed.

Numbers (not verified) such as 5,000 cats euthanized in Niagara in 2007 have been tossed out. Where are these figures published and how were they verified? If these figures are verifiable, then the problem needs to be addressed in ways that are more effective. More time and money needs to be spent to educate people about pet ownership, to make identification on cats mandatory and capturing strays routine, so that they can be traced to their owners just like dogs.

If the city has an excess in their budget of $5,000 to give away, there are far better causes than this for them to spend that money on. What value is the city assessing for each native wild animal these cats will kill and maim? That weakened bird or eastern cottontail rabbit was destined to be dinner for another prey wild animal further up the food chain in nature but now it will have lost its dinner thanks to a domestic cat. That resting bird taking a pause from a long migration may not be able to avoid predation by these cats. Who will pick up those bodies and bring them in for care? The lakeshore they stopped at belongs to them, not the cats.

Before council arrives at a final decision on this funding, each member of council owes it to himself or herself to read the facts on why these colonies do not work. For the truth about feral cat colonies, visit the “TNR Reality Check” website at

http://www.tnrrealitycheck.com/welcome.asp

Mary-Catharine Kuruziak, Manager,
Niagara Wildlife Haven AWC, CWS
Welland, Ontario
http://www.niagarawildlifehaven.org/

NOTE: Send an email to Port Council members letting them know that you do not support feral cat colonies or cats outdoors. Wild animals have a right to be on this earth, and as the expression goes, this is their earth. We all share it. Outdoor cats kill MILLIONS of wild birds and animals each year. It is tragic. It is heartbreaking. It has to stop.

Port Colborne Council Members Email Addresses:
mayor@portcolborne.ca;
billsteele@portcolborne.ca;
frankdibartolomeo@portcolborne.ca;
domenicursini@portcolborne.ca;
beakenny@portcolborne.ca;
garybruno@portcolborne.ca;
barbarabutters@portcolborne.ca;
kateleigh@portcolborne.ca;
davidbarrick@portcolborne.ca

Please cc us so we can count you in as a supporter of wildlife in Niagara. admin@niagarawildlifehaven.org

Also call the Welland and District Humane Society and ask them how they can possibly support cats being kept outdoors and having to endure the ravages of the seasons, parasite infestations, exposure to predation through outdoor feeding, and so on, when those cats have no home? How is that humane? Unfortunately, unlike other humane societies their website does not have any useful information on it (other than a pet adoption link), nor does it list any contact information for them other than a telephone number and that is 905-735-1552. You'll have to limit your calls to their office hours.

And please, don't tell us that feral cats cannot be rehabilitated. That is bunk! We have more than one so called feral cat here that we have opened our heart and home to, and had great success. Some of them have turned into deluxe lap cats, a few remain shy, but one look in their eyes let's you know that they are grateful to be able to live indoors with us, even if they hide periodically. At least their hiding places are indoors, they are warm, dry, loved and well fed. They would rather be here than living in a feral cat colony outside.

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Everything has to start somewhere...

Well. It's a freaking deep subject. And wells are wet too. Usually filled with water, kind of like our house has been for the past month and a half. I'm currently writing an article called "Two Floods and a Royal Flush". Watch for it here. Considering it's January and part of February we're talking about here, you'd think flooding would be the least of our concerns, but noooooo. Not in this cursed house.

Have decided (making decisions can be dangerous as you all know) to post all the articles I've written for the Tribune. So this is where you'll find them.

Today though, we pause with heavy hearts and sadness and can only add our sympathies to those families whose lives have been touched by the tragedy of last night's commuter plane crash in Clarence NY (just west of Buffalo NY). Fifty souls were lost in the devastating crash. I know what tragedy feels like firsthand, and my heart bleeds for those people who lost family, and friends in the crash. Buffalo is a mere twenty minutes from here so it's like a 'neighbour' to those of us who live here. We mourn with them all. May they find the strength to carry on and may they never forget the memories of those they lost.

Keep reading. It's good for what ails you.

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To Feed or Not to Feed - Wildlife in Winter

Feeding wildlife (or not) in winter months is a subject often discussed but never fully resolved. There is no real hard and fast answer. A recent article in the Tribune suggested feeding wild birds in winter helps them survive and gave numerous artificial feeding methods and foods to use.

Those suggestions will not help wild birds survive our winters because they are un-natural solutions, with no basis in science. They complicate things by encouraging wild animals to become dependent on insufficient diets.

Woodpeckers for example, do need fats and proteins in their diets but not those found in commercially prepared suet. They need animal protein from insects – not rendered cow fat. 75% of a Downy Woodpeckers winter diet consists of insects and other larva that winter in tree bark. Woodpeckers spend days foraging on specific trees digging out these pests, some of which are harmful to the trees and to farmers crops.

As human beings, we want to believe we are doing good things for wildlife - that we’re helping them. Leaving food out for wild animals, does not allow them to be wild, nor fend for themselves. More birds have likely become ill and died, than have survived, due to misguided feeding by humans.

Feeders are left outside, rain or snow. The contents routinely become soaked and can quickly mold. If just one sick bird feeds there, it leaves bacteria that thrives in that moisture behind, and passes that on to other birds who visit. Suet can become rancid very quickly. The type and quality of seeds we place in feeders is dubious at best; the majority of such seed mixes are corn based. That may be nutritious for some species but is not suitable for all. Feeding breadcrumbs is unwise. Bread is not a part of any bird’s natural diet in the wild – have you ever seen a bird in a grocery store buying bread? Bread contains preservatives and additives that may be harmful to these fragile creatures. You may feel rather noble in thinking you’re doing good, but are you really? The diet you’re providing may be very inadequate for optimum health.

Spilled birdseed, breadcrumbs and the likes, attracts all manner of other wildlife to the area. They may not be so desirable to have in your backyard and not quite as cute as the birds you want to watch. Those living near you will not enjoy the mouse and rat parade under those feeders, if spilled seed is not promptly cleaned up. Nor will you (or the neighbours) be thrilled when those rodents start looking for a place to call home as winter approaches.

There’s another detriment to feeding wild birds that causes high mortality and that’s death by cat. Attracting birds to your yard also attracts all the free roaming pet cats in your area and possibly some feral cats as well. People think that because Fluffy has a bell on his collar all birds will hear it and fly away safely, are mistaken. Parent birds do not teach ‘bell avoidance’ to their offspring. It’s just not part of the repertoire in raising their young. The same people think that because Fluffy is well fed, he couldn’t possibly leave their yard, or go after any birds or small mammals. Too many people are irresponsible pet owners and allow their cats to roam freely without thinking for a moment what those cats do to native wildlife. If you care about Fluffy - keep him inside.

Wild animals survive through a natural process not controlled by human beings. Food sources don’t disappear just because it’s winter. Wildlife is genetically programmed and hard wired at birth - as they mature, they instinctively know how to forage for food and find shelter. Those unable to do so, or who are imperfect in some way, will not make it, regardless of what we do. That is the way of nature.

If you truly want to help wild birds, learn about the species native to your area, the types of plants, shrubs, grasses, and trees that support those birds. Grow those. You will attract these beautiful species, naturally. For non-migratory songbirds, these plantings provide food through the winter months. Provide shelter with tall, thick shrubbery in a corner away from prevailing wind so they can utilize this in inclement weather. Make sure these areas are cat proof.

If you do decide to put out bird feeders, don’t fill them on a daily basis. Do it on an intermittent and unreliable basis so you don’t cause the birds to become dependent. Empty them weekly, and scrub in hot soapy water with a bit of bleach to disinfect them then rinse twice more. Dry naturally.

Artificial feeding of wildlife causes major imbalances in nature. Birds may remain in the area because they have become dependent on handouts, habituated to humans and rather than migrating, they stay. Evidence of this is available - just go to the Welland River near the aqueduct. Artificial feeding also invites other species to the area that may predate on the very birds you want to enjoy. Make your choice wisely.

Mary-Catharine Kuruziak is a member of the Tribune Community Editorial Board and manager of Niagara Wildlife Haven. Their website is at www.niagarawildlifehaven.org

(C) The Tribune. This article was published in The Tribune 11 February 2009

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Have the wild things moved in with you?

Are strange noises in your attic or fireplace keeping you up at night? It may well be that a few wild animals have decided to take advantage of that roof you were going to get around to replacing (and never did) or have found another weak spot in your home and moved in. So what should you do?



Look around your property carefully with a pair of binoculars if you can and check these areas: roof, soffit, chimneys, dryer vents or other air vents, windows, and screens. Look under porches, decks, and sheds. Damaged areas or signs of burrows are evidence that you may be living with wildlife.

Are you or the neighbours feeding your pets outside or leaving easy to access garbage? Are there feral cat colonies being fed in the area? Those are unwise actions. Cats belong indoors! Cats are not native wildlife and have no place outside. Even well fed cats arbitrarily kill millions of wild animals a year just for the fun of it.

Are you feeding birds? Any hungry animal passing by will consume the birdseed, and mice and rats will be more than happy to availing themselves of spilled seed on the ground. Once you determine how much of the problem is your creation, you can fix it.

If the animal is already living in your house, you need to humanely encourage it to move out. With patience and persistence, you can avoid paying a wildlife removal company. The money you save can hire someone to do the repairs and prevent future access.

The majority of animals in buildings and homes this time of year are nursing moms trying to raise their families. Resist the urge to borrow a trap or pay some unregulated individual to do the job ‘cheap’ by telling you that they’ll relocate the problem animal. You run the risk of leaving helpless, dependent babies behind who will die without their mother. You can humanely annoy them and get them to move out. You need three things to do this. Use these three things continuously for four to five days.

Set up a radio on a talk station as close to the entrance to the den as you can, loud enough to annoy them but not you.

Aim a flashlight or electric work light into the nest area. Flashlights will need a battery replacement throughout the few days of use but are less costly than paying mega dollars to a removal company. Leave the light on day and night.

Wild animals are bothered by the smell of ammonia. Use clean, empty margarine containers stuffed with old socks or rags, and sprinkle Amex™ ammonia cleaner on them. Pierce holes in the tops with a knife or awl. Place these containers along the path the animal uses to access your living spaces. Place some near the entrance to the area they are occupying and toss some into the opening being careful not to put them near any babies who are not mobile enough to move away.

All wild mothers have at least two or three alternate den sites that they can use. You need to give them a few days to get them all moved. This method works for evicting skunks from under houses, sheds, and decks.

When you hear no more activity in the area, tape a plastic bag over the entrance, or stuff it full of newspapers. After two days if it is undisturbed, securely repair that access point. If you do not, another wild animal will move back in.

Far too many people think that the solution is to ‘relocate’ the animal’. There are laws that specifically address the relocation of wild animals. You may not relocate an adult wild animal more than one kilometre from the point of capture. Fines range up to $25,000.00. When you move a wild animal, you move an entire biological package of genetics, possible diseases, or parasites into another area that could spread to other species.

Just as not all humans are nice, pleasant, or kind, so too it goes with wildlife. They can become destructive and cause damage. Under Section 31 of The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the legal landowner may take certain steps to protect his/her property.

• there must be “reasonable grounds” to believe that wildlife is damaging or about to damage the person’s property.
• control activities can only occur on the property owner’s own property.
• a person may not harass, capture, or kill more wildlife than is necessary to protect the property or cause unnecessary suffering to the wildlife.

You are still subject to the one kilometre release restriction once you trap the animal and the methods you utilize cannot cause cruelty or suffering to that animal. As the legal owner of the property, you may dispatch the animal by humane euthanasia or hire a reputable agent to do it for you.

The federal Migratory Birds Convention Act applies and supersedes provincial legislation, so approval from Canadian Wildlife Service for control of any birds protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act would be required for nuisance birds.

We need to develop some tolerance for sharing our living space with native wildlife. The animals are not destroying their natural habitat by building shopping malls and subdivisions - we are responsible for that. We have staked our claim on these areas and then we expect the wild animals to behave. Do your part by not making it easy for the animals to access your domestic space and do not provide food, be that bird feeders or easy to get at garbage. Those are all variables within your control. Nature will take care of the rest.

(C) The Tribune. Published in The Tribune on 6 June 2008.

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