1. Animals have specialized diets and can die from the wrong foods. If a baby animal receives the wrong diet, even for a day or two, it can damage developing bone and muscle forever. The wrong foods cause disease, mouth injures, throat obstructions and death.
    

2. Providing an artificial food source causes adults to produce large families that cannot be supported by the natural food supply. Overpopulation leads to starvation and disease, some of which are dangerous to humans.
    

3. It is illegal to feed wildlife. Monterey County, Pacific Grove, Monterey and other cities all have ordinances that prohibit feeding of wildlife.
    

4. Feeding causes wild animals to lose their natural fear of humans. Wildlife can become an easy target, or the bold advances of an animal may be misinterpreted as an "attack".
    

5. Feeding changes behavior, often with catastrophic results. Feeding can cause death by preventing a species from migrating. It can also cause harmful interaction between species who usually don’t compete for food.
    

6. You can be injured when you do not keep a respectful distance from wild animals. Wildlife can misinterpret your actions. They may not know where the food stops and your fingers begin. Once again, animals lose when people complain of being bitten or "attacked."
    

7. Providing food in residential areas (besides birdseed feeders) often leads to property damage and unwelcome "houseguests". Sometimes people feed wildlife inadvertently when they leave pet food dishes outside or do not secure garbage.

You can help our wildlife by not feeding them and by passing this info onto someone who is not yet informed.