When we moved to a small town several years ago, I was delighted to find that families of ducks and geese lived on the local pond and that a mom-and-pop shop across the street sold little paper bags full of food for them. It felt like something out of a storybook, until the store closed.

People started tossing the birds bread instead, but before jumping on the bread bandwagon, I did a little research. It turns out that bread can cause a permanent, harmful condition called angel wing, which prevents ducks and geese from flying. I also discovered that feeding them, in general, does far more harm than I had realized.

With spring on the horizon, now is the perfect time to rethink how we “care” for ducks, geese and other wildlife.

Not feeding wildlife is actually one of the best ways to keep everyone safe. One reason is because feeding wild animals can lead to overpopulation, and booming populations only increase the chance of mass killing or other forms of cruelty. Need proof? Michigan’s Canada goose population has skyrocketed beyond the state’s target, leading officials to allow some landowners to hire federal crews to round up and kill the birds.

While on the topic of not feeding wildlife, let’s talk about trash. Not only can animals become dependent on it as a food source, they can also choke or get stuck in containers and other inedible items.

Keep garbage cans and compost bins tightly sealed to stop unwelcome snacking, and cut six-pack plastic rings, replace container lids and crush metal cans to prevent animals from getting stuck. To help our local pond stay clean, we go “trash fishing,” a fun, fish-friendly activity in which we “fish” litter out of the water to protect animals from eating or becoming entangled in debris.

Imagine consuming food contaminated with nicotine at every meal. Ew. This is what happens to wildlife exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides. These chemicals, commonly used in yards and gardens, can harm precious pollinators and threaten three-quarters of all endangered plants and animals, including species like the whooping crane and greater prairie chicken. Prevent these and other pesticide-related deaths simply by keeping your garden chemical-free.

Take it one step further by letting your lawn go wild. Bumblebees and butterflies take time to emerge in the spring, so delaying that first mow helps. When you do finally cut the grass, gently sweep your hands through it to check for small animals who may be hiding in the taller blades. Better yet, replace grass with native plants. This may seem like a lot of work initially, but native plants create a beautiful, eco-boosting low-maintenance landscape in the long run.

Caring for wildlife also means respecting animals by not approaching them so they can go about their day without their natural behavior being interrupted. As with most everything, there is one exception to the rule: turtles crossing the road.

If you see a turtle in the road, pull over safely before helping them across. Always take them to the side they were heading toward so they don’t turn back into traffic. Gently lift small turtles by their shell with both hands, between their front and back legs, and carry them across the road. Encourage larger or snapping turtles into an animal carrier or onto a sturdy, flat surface (like a piece of cardboard) to move them safely.

Never assume a turtle hit by a car is dead. Turtles have a very slow metabolism and can suffer in pain and fear for weeks as cars zoom by. To check for life, gently pinch a back toe or touch the corner of an eyelid, and if there’s a response, carefully transport an injured turtle to a veterinary clinic or an animal shelter right away.

These are just a few of the many ways we can spring into action for animals. What will you do?

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Melissa Rae Sanger is a licensed veterinary technician and a staff writer for the PETA Foundation, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510; www.PETA.org.

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