Please don’t feed peanuts to wildlife – it puts my child at risk!
Posted For: Emailed to TNBD
At first, Danielle Maddock thought her daughter had picked up a leaf while playing in their backyard. She was alarmed to discover it was actually a peanut shell.
Maddock’s 16-month-old daughter has a severe, life-threatening peanut allergy and carries an EpiPen. The family takes strict precautions to keep their home peanut-free, so finding peanut shells on their own property came as a shock.
“I was stunned. I never imagined we’d find peanuts in our yard — we’re a peanut-safe home,” Maddock said. She acted quickly and feels fortunate her daughter was wearing gloves at the time. After speaking with neighbors, Maddock believes the shells were brought in by animals after people fed peanuts to local wildlife, such as squirrels, chipmunks, or blue jays.
Now, Maddock is raising awareness in her community, warning that feeding wildlife — while well-intentioned — can have unintended and potentially dangerous consequences for families dealing with severe allergies. She hopes people will reconsider using peanuts as feed.
She’s not the only one affected. Allysa Schnurr, who has a nine-year-old daughter with a nut allergy, began noticing peanut shells outside her home last year and recently found one on her deck. While Schnurr regularly scans her yard, she says it’s impossible to catch everything.
“A nine-year-old shouldn’t have to worry about whether it’s safe to play in her own backyard,” Schnurr said.
She supports Maddock’s efforts to start a community conversation about the issue, noting that many people underestimate how serious food allergies can be.
“I think people minimize it and don’t always recognize how severe it really is,” Schnurr said.
Dangers and precautions
Dr. Harold Kim, an allergist and associate professor at Western University who runs an allergy clinic, says he’s heard similar concerns from patients. While peanuts and shells are generally harmless to touch or smell, he warns that young children may put them in their mouths, triggering a dangerous reaction.
Kim recommends teaching children not to put objects they find into their mouths — though he acknowledges that’s difficult with very young kids. He also advises parents who regularly find peanut shells to sweep and inspect outdoor play areas before letting children outside.
“It may require frequent checking and cleanup,” Kim said.
For Maddock, that’s become a new reality. She has since found additional shells in her yard and posted about the issue on a local Facebook group, where the response has been positive.
She says she doesn’t want to tell others what to do, but feels a responsibility to speak up.
“As my daughter’s caregiver, I want to help make this community a safe place for her,” Maddock said. “I always thought our backyard would be safe.”
At the end of the day, this mother feels neighbors need to prioritize a child’s life over feeding outdoor rodents – a choice that shouldn’t be difficult.
About Post Author
