The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) cautions everyone that feeding wildlife, whether directly or indirectly, is never a good idea. Problems from wildlife often increase with the availability of food, and feeding could result in an attack, damaged property, and often the death of the animal.

"When there are conflicts between humans and wild animals, the animals lose," said Allan Buckmann, DFG associate wildlife biologist. "Don't feed wild animals. They don't need our handouts, they need our respect. We all need to take responsibility for the wild animals whose habitat we share. When humans are careless, wild animals may pay the price."

Animals that become accustomed to feed will expand their activities to find more feed and can damage fences and structures, and threaten human safety in the process. Such behavior by well meaning people puts the animals at unnecessary risk and often disrupts the natural survival instincts of the animal. Preventing human and wildlife conflicts is the goal of DFG's "Keep Me Wild" campaign, which encourages people to respect all wildlife by keeping them wild. Anyone can download materials at www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/index.html.

The most common problems stem from leaving pet food out at night, directly feeding wildlife by putting out food, or by allowing access to crops.

DFG urges pet owners to feed pets early in the day, and to retrieve dishes at night. In addition, if a pet door is used, owners should exercise caution that wildlife - particularly raccoons and skunks - don't enter the house in search of an easy meal. There are lockable pet doors that have manual locks or open by a magnetic collar placed on pets.

Additionally, Richardson warned, people who feed wildlife are at greater risk of an attack when animals grow accustomed to being fed and have that feeding disturbed in some way. They are also at a greater riskfor the spread of disease and parasites. Urban/rural interface areas often have an invasion of turkeys, skunks, opossums and raccoons coming to get food, with predators such as coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions following their prey down into housing areas. These animals can cause problems for pets and unsuspecting neighbors who may not want the visitors in their yard. It is illegal to feed big game, such as deer and bears, for these reasons.

When trying to protect against coyotes, opportunistic scavengers that will eat almost anything, the best protection is a dog-proof fence at least five feet tall. The fence should be placed just around yards or other areas where coyote intrusion is not wanted. An electric fence hot wire near the outside bottom edge can keep coyotes from digging under.