No Dumpin' the Pumpkin - Look after your local wildlife this Halloween

No Dumpin' the Pumpkin - Look after your local wildlife this Halloween!

People often think they are helping wildlife by leaving pumpkins in their garden for birds, or in public wooded areas. 

We know the intention is good and we see many posts on social media encouraging people to leave used pumpkins out for wild animals. However, the USPCA are kindly asking the public to please do not do this as it can actually be very harmful or even fatal for wildlife.

As pumpkins are not a natural food source for any of our native wildlife, it has the potential to make hedgehogs, foxes and badgers unwell, and it can also spread disease.

Additionally, there is a risk if pumpkins have been decorated, or have contained candles where melted wax could remain. Such decoration may not always have been fully removed from the pumpkin shell and could be toxic if ingested by an animal.

To save food waste, why not make your pumpkins into a delicious pumpkin soup? Alternatively, dispose of safely in your compost heap and help protect your local wildlife at the same time!