The next time you’re out on a walk in the city, you can leave the peanuts and breadcrumbs at home. On April 1, the city officially outlawed the feeding of wildlife in Toronto, much to the dismay of some residents who feel that the new rules are cruel and “mean-spirited.”
According to Chapter 349 under the city’s Animal Bylaw, “you are not allowed to feed wildlife or leave food out to attract animals on both public and private property.”
While this includes coyotes, skunks, foxes, pigeons, squirrels and raccoons, the city says feeding songbirds on your property is permitted, as long as your bird feeder is “kept in a sanitary condition and does not act as an attractant to other wildlife.”
Those who continue to violate the new by-law could face a fine of around $365.
Just weeks ago, in an effort to get residents to stop feeding one of the many resident racoons that call the city home, the city launched a campaign reminding Torontonians that as cute as they might be, Toronto’s unofficial mascots are not pets.
They’re not pets.
Don’t feed them.Feeding wildlife conditions animals to expect food from people, putting both animals and the community at risk. Let’s respect their natural habitat and enable them to thrive independently.
As of April 1, it will be https://t.co/FV02AMlvvr… pic.twitter.com/1JA5H8ZW0P
— Jennifer McKelvie (@McKelvieTO) March 24, 2023
While some may find the new by-law unfair, the city says that wild animals “do not require any help or food from people,” and that feeding animals puts “both people and animals at risk.”
According to the city, when humans feed wild animals, it not only conditions them to expect from from people, but that human food is “very unhealthy” too.
