A resident who admitted to being keen to feed crows in the Vancouver community now faces a hefty fine.
According to Reddit user DubUbasswitmyheadman, they have been feeding the birds while walking their dogs.
However, they claimed that feeding the wild animals annoyed enough people that a neighbor contacted their landlord to collect their email and phone number.
DubUbasswitmyheadman now claims they face a $4,000 fine for feeding wild animals.
"The fine for feeding wildlife in Vancouver is capped at $4,000, and I was recently contacted by the city via email and voicemail," they wrote in a post.
While it's unclear why the Vancouver resident faces such a hefty fine, the City of Vancouver said the resident could face multiple offenses.
However, the city was unable to confirm why the resident was told he could face a $4,000 fine.
"Anyone who feeds wildlife, including coyotes, birds, rodents, squirrels and raccoons, could be fined $500," the city's website reads.
After hearing the city's response, Dub Ubasswitmyheadman said, "I've stopped feeding all but one bird. ”
"What I'm still feeding is a somewhat shy female (?) with a few white feathers around her cheeks and eyes. I recognize some of the other crows, and it's hard not to drop some treats when passing by them at this time. ”
In an email to Daily Hive, the City of Vancouver confirmed that the Wildlife Feeding Regulations prohibit the feeding of birds.
"Our regulations strictly prohibit feeding wild animals anywhere in Vancouver. For wild animals, the best course of action is to give it enough space to observe from a distance," the regulations read.
According to the City of Vancouver, feeding wild animals is unsafe because it reduces the animal's fear of humans, and they may also become dependent on the food you feed.
Like humans, animals are creatures of Xi habit, so when they eat food that is improperly discarded, they may associate a particular area with food and are likely to return. This often leads to intense behavior and aggression.
DubUbasswitmyheadman was advised to use a bird feeder, but according to users, their apartment building did not allow bird feeders.
According to the city, people can use bird feeders to feed birds on private property, provided that the bird feeders are not accessible to other wildlife and the area is kept clean.