I am not going to comment on the inability of adults to treat each other with kindness and respect. I can, however, as a certified wildlife rehaber, give the garden community some rules of thumb on how to deal with wildlife in the garden.

The first rule is Do Not Assume. Know the risk factors. Inform yourself.

For your safety: Rabies is the biggy. Know the rabies incident and specific animal vectors in your area. Keep your own pets' vacciations up to date. Always report bites to your doctor. Any bites or scratch can become infected, sometimes badly, but if it isn't rabid, you'll live thru it.

Tetanus is the other biggy. Keep your tetanus shot up to date.

If you have injured animals, call your local wildlife center or animal control. Unless you are a vet, leave the injuries to the professionals.

If you have orphaned carnivores, omnivores or large animals, call the wildlife center or animal control. Unless you have some training in wildlife rehab you will not be able to raise such animals and return them successfully to their own environments.

For their safety: Repeat the above.

If you want to rescue a baby squirrel or bunny or sparrow, learn how to do it properly.

Do not create dependencies, such as feeding, that will interfere with a creature's ability to survive when you are not present.

Bird seed attracts more than birds. If you want to minimalize the animals in your garden, don't feed the birds.

Beyond the above, everything else is a grey area. We have mucked with mother nature so much that drawing lines is meaningless. Human beings have already broken the balance. Most gardens interfere with the natural order.

People have been rescuing birds and small mammals for centuries to no great harm to either side. Yes, there are diseases you can get from animals, but most are curable and they may or may not be present in your area. If it matters to you, get your facts from the professionals in your area. Again, do not assume.

Some people are willing to take more risks than others. Some people enjoy wildlife and are willing to share their space; others do not. What works for you is not the same as what works for someone else.