Today, I witnessed a serious fight; although it was brief. The fight was between a farm owner and a goat owner. It happened to enter the farmland where cassava is planted and damaged the crops.

So the answer is No, it is generally not recommended to let domestic animals roam freely to source their own food.

​While it might seem like a natural approach, free-roaming domestic animals face significant safety risks and can cause environmental and social issues such as:

​a. Health & Nutritional Risks: Scavenging often leads to the ingestion of toxic plants, spoiled food, trash, or chemical poisons (like antifreeze or rodenticides), resulting in severe illness or nutritional deficiencies.

b. ​Injury & Disease: Free-roaming animals are at high risk of being struck by vehicles, attacked by predators or other animals, and contracting contagious diseases or parasites (e.g., rabies, fleas, worms).

c. ​Impact on Wildlife: Domestic pets, especially cats and dogs, are primary drivers of wildlife loss, frequently hunting native birds, small mammals, and reptiles.

d. ​Nuisance & Legal Issues: Free-roaming animals can cause property damage, disturb neighbors, breed uncontrollably (contributing to pet overpopulation), and lead to fines under local leash or containment laws.

​Providing a balanced, controlled diet and keeping your pet safely contained or supervised ensures a much longer, healthier life for the animal and protects your local ecosystem.