Every time you put out your garbage or take your recyclables to the curb, you can help—or harm—wild animals.
Your wild neighbors are attracted to items you throw away. If you're hiking, camping, or traveling—or simply taking a walk in the park—take care to dispose of containers and plastic wrap responsibly.
Glass jars still smelling of peanut butter, plastic containers with a bit of yogurt at the bottom, plastic food wrap that looks and smells good enough to eat, and plastic six-pack rings all can be deadly to curious—and hungry—squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and other animals.
Fortunately, it's easy to safely dispose of containers and wrappings—and it only takes a minute or two. Wide-mouth containers can become death traps when animals get their heads stuck inside and suffocate, especially if the containers are narrow at the top. Birds and other animals can easily become entangled in plastic rings, causing injury or death. And any animal—even your own pet—can suffer and die after ingesting plastic packaging that causes an internal blockage. Plastic wrap can be particularly deadly to marine animals and birds, who mistake it for food floating on the surface of the water.
What You Can Do
Rinse and Recycle: Rinse all recyclable glass and plastic containers to remove any food remnants and odors. Any container can be a danger, depending on the size of the container and the size of the animal. Some animals, such as skunks, are particularly vulnerable because their front legs are too short to push containers off their heads. Even containers you're going to throw away should be thoroughly rinsed before disposal to avoid attracting wildlife to your trash.
Cut or Crush: Cut up and/or crush plastic containers before you put them in the garbage or recycling bin. Cut apart each ring in plastic six-pack carriers and other similar packaging.
Close and Cover: Make sure plastic food wrap is rinsed and contained inside a closed garbage bag. Never throw plastic packaging into open trash cans. Put garbage out for collection in plastic or metal trash containers with secure covers.
For more information about living humanely with your wild neighbors, visit The HSUS Urban Wildlife pages or e-mail The HSUS Wildlife and Habitat Protection section at wildlife@hsus.org.
