Out of sight, out of mind? Relocating wildlife may seem like a compassionate solution to conflicts, but it’s often anything but.

It starts out mildly enough: Heading to work on the subway, you realize you forgot your wallet. No big deal, you think. I’ll borrow money to get home.

Soon the lights go out and the train hurtles toward the sky, speeding through the atmosphere. Time passes—it’s hard to tell how long. The subway is grounded, the doors swing open, and unfolding before you is a city you don’t recognize.

A few things are familiar—the Starbucks on every block, the cars, the English phrases on signs. But it’s cold, you’re hungry, you’re penniless and the sun is setting. You think of your children who will be…