So sorry about your Laura. I’m sure that hurts.
We live near woods where many species live. I would probably have chickens if I was allowed. As it is, even my cat is no longer partially outdoors roaming free. We have built a cat enclosure on our deck so that he can go in and out as he wishes, but is protected from predators.
I feed the birds, but anything anyone else gets falls from the feeders. I do not feed the wild animals. My neighbors do, and that’s plenty. We clean up the deck after we bbq. No critters allowed!
That’s a good policy! Every spring or summer, we get bears on our back porch due to our hummingbird feeders. With 5 rescue cats, we need to be so careful never to let them out. What state are you in?