RAINYRAMBLES
Pets and
wildlife
Managing the needs of
wild and domestic animals
BY REBECCA LEXA
The Columbia-Pacifi c region is known
for its great diversity of wildlife, from
mighty eagles and elegant elk to song-
birds, salamanders and salmon. Some-
times, residents unfortunately create con-
fl ict when bringing domestic animals like
cats and dogs into contact with wildlife.
Fortunately, there are some ways to min-
imize this impact while still sharing the
outdoors with pets.
Dogs
It’s a familiar sight, an off leash dog
charging at full speed down the beach
toward a fl ock of shorebirds or gulls.
While this may seem joyful to us, it’s ter-
rifying for the birds. They don’t know
that the dog supposedly “wouldn’t hurt a
fl y,” all they know is that a large, preda-
tory animal is running toward them and
they need to get away. Now, imagine what
it feels like to have to sprint hundreds of
yards. That’s about what the encounter is
like from the point of view of said birds,
who fl y away as fast as they can before
dealing with fear for hours afterward.
After an overzealous workout, humans
can just go to the fridge and pull out some
extra food. Wildlife don’t necessarily have
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
A gull explores the edge of the water at
Cape Disappointment State Park.
that option, they have to physically hunt,
gather or scavenge all the calories they
get, and it’s not always guaranteed that
they’ll fi nd a good meal.
Unfortunately, the food that people
often toss to gulls and other birds isn’t
easily digested, and can actually lead to
malnourishment over time. So when birds
are repeatedly chased by dogs, children
and cars, a loss of energy can actually
depress their immune systems and make
them less likely to fi ght off illnesses or
recover from even minor injuries.
This principle extends across the
region’s wildlife. Any time a dog is
allowed to chase animals, it leads to an
unnecessary waste of calories for the tar-
get, to say nothing of injuries that can
result from the chase. And if the dog
makes the catch, it could injure or kill
the hapless being even if the pup was just
playing. Any animal that decides to fi ght
‘Nigel,’ the garden cat, with organic cabbage.
back can also infl ict injuries on the dog,
and a big enough creature, like an elk,
deer or bear, could potentially kill it. Dan-
gers abound for off leash dogs, even if
they aren’t on the hunt. Small dogs can be
quickly snapped up by coyotes or eagles if
they get too far away from humans.
Coyotes and dogs can also pass dis-
eases to one another through their scat,
which is one more great reason to clean
up after your dog. So pack those bags and
keep your dog on a leash to keep everyone
safe. If they need some extra room to run,
get a 30 foot or so lead that you can feed
out as they run, then collect as they return.
Cats
Like small dogs, cats make a great
snack for carnivorous wildlife. Sure, vid-
eos exist of cats chasing off black bears,
but that’s no guarantee that just any house-
hold feline will survive an encounter with
its larger bobcat cousin. Roaming cats are
also at risk of dying from causes other
than wildlife, like cars, no matter how
fi erce they may be.
Cats are also a menace to smaller wild-
life. In the United States alone, cats kill
2.4 billion, yes, not million, birds each
year, making them a larger threat than
window strikes, pollution or poaching.
That adds up in addition to the countless
small mammals that cats slaughter. Most
of these kills are never brought home, so
a supposedly harmless cat may still be
wreaking havoc on local wildlife. Cats
also transmit diseases, most notably t oxo-
plasmosis, which can sicken and kill many
wild mammals, even if the cat shows no
symptoms. Some bacteria within a cat’s
saliva are deadly to birds, even when a
bird escapes without a bad bite. Bacteria
can still be ingested later on, such as when
the bird preens itself, and it can die soon
thereafter.
While some argue that cats are natu-
ral predators, they’re not the same as the
region’s native coyotes, foxes and bob-
cats. In fact, domestic cats are not native
anywhere in the world, though they were
domesticated from wild cats in the Near
East. Domesticated cats are not a natural
part of the wildlife food chain, and are an
invasive species. .
The safest place for cats is to stay
indoors and away from wildlife. An
enriching environment full of toys and
hiding places will keep cats raised indoors
busy. For cats who want to enjoy the out-
doors, a patios and leash trained walks are
great options. These can take a little more
eff ort, especially with older cats, but are a
lot of fun for both humans, cats and local
wildlife.
Rebecca Lexa is a naturalist, nature
educator, tour guide and writer living on
the Long Beach Peninsula. Find more
about her work at rebeccalexa.com.
A beachgoer walks his dog toward
the water at Sunset Beach.
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
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