Can I safely give my romaine lettuce to the wildlife around my home?

Don’t know but I wouldn’t if it were me.

Around here there are too many deer – just yesterday I saw three that had been hit by cars while crossing the roads. So if a couple of deer got eColi from your lettuce, it might help reduce their population in a less bloody way.

I’m not a vet but I can’t believe it would be bad. Look what they eat in the wild! The veggies they eat in your garden aren’t washed.

A side question is whether putting out food for wild animals is ever a good idea as it discourages their fearfulness and makes them more likely to get hurt.

Sounds like a good way to have pests running around your yard.

The deer droppings could then be loaded with E. Coli !

Yes, it’s fine.

Of course you can! Wildlife can tolerate things we humans can’t. Haven’t you ever seen a dog eat poo???

It would be better to compost it. Put it in with your garden waste and your kitchen vegetables in your green container.

@zenvelo Good thought but most parts of the country don’t have a “green container’ at least not on the East Coast although I know they do in California.

Answered by @LuckyGuy, and @ARE_you_kidding_me

It is not wasting food to destroy the Romaine with the very real possibility/probability if spreading e coli. Animals don’t need that!

@si3tech what about @LuckyGuy's answer?