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Pexels\/Reddit<\/p>\n
Feeding wildlife might sound harmless, even sweet, right up until it turns an entire neighborhood into a magnet for raccoons, skunks, and groundhogs.<\/p>\n
One homeowner watched a kooky neighbor move in<\/a> nearby and immediately start scattering food scraps into her bushes, treating it like some kind of nature preserve.<\/p>\n Attempts to explain why this was a bad idea were met with laughter instead of concern, and now there\u2019s a groundhog burrow actively destroying the homeowner\u2019s garden, joining a growing list of unwanted wildlife visitors.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to keep reading for the full story.<\/p>\n We live 200 yds from a large woods\/park. She moved in 1 1\/2 yrs ago. She thinks herself to be Mother Earth and throws food scraps in her bushes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This has created some unique problems for the rest of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n She has attracted raccoon families, deer families, squirrels, and skunks to our homes. She laughs when we tell her it isn\u2019t smart.<\/p>\n Now, I have a groundhog burrow in my backyard. It terrorizes my gardens. They can carry rabies, just like raccoons.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This homeowner has already done all they can to address the issue, but they\u2019re still forced to deal with the consequences of this Karen\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n I have contacted the police and they say there is nothing they can do. The only thing they care about is the 7 cats she keeps in 7 cages in her garage. I believe they are feral, she says they can\u2019t live in her house.<\/p>\n I have had squirrels in my attic, a neighbor had raccoons in her attic.<\/p>\n She seems to have no common sense.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Leave it to a Karen to wreck havoc on an entire neighborhood.<\/p>\n What did Reddit make of this story?<\/p>\n There might be an organization that could offer more help in this situation.<\/p>\n This commenter shares the perils of letting animals roam wild where they don\u2019t belong.<\/p>\n The police may be the wrong people to contact in this situation.<\/p>\n Never Miss a Story<\/p>\n Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n Many organizations exist to prevent this exact issue from happening.<\/p>\n Laughing off warnings doesn\u2019t make the rabies risk disappear, and a groundhog burrow actively destroying a garden is a pretty direct result of choices made two houses down.<\/p>\n But luckily this homeowner still has some options. Documenting the pattern, photos of the burrow, notes on repeated feeding incidents, previous attic infestations \u2014 these all create a record worth having if this needs to escalate to county health services or animal control.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t Feed the Animals\u201d signs exist for a reason.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t
Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture<\/p>\n Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.<\/p>\n As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.<\/p>\n When he isn\u2019t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.<\/p>\n Connect with Benjamin on Instagram<\/a> and read more of his essays on Substack<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n
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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nFeeding wildlife isn\u2019t a harmless quirk, it\u2019s a decision that has big consequences for everyone.<\/p>\n
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