What to Do if You Find Baby Wildlife

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It happens every year, baby wildlife of all kinds will start to make their appearance into the world. Just like it is in their nature to start to explore the space around them, it’s natural for us to feel concerned when it seems there is no mother around to care for them. While we here at Woodbine Animal Clinic don’t always have the answers about what to do if you think you’ve found an abandoned animal, here is a little information to help guide you in your efforts.

Myth or Fact?

Let us first clear up the misconception that if a human touches a baby animal that the mother will reject it when they return. This is a myth! So don’t hesitate to help IF, it truly is needed. Although it may seem that a baby has been orphaned, this often isn’t the case.

What should I do if a baby bird or animal has fallen from its nest?

Birds, squirrels and even raccoons can live in trees or nests higher off the ground. If you find one of these and they seem uninjured but like they don’t belong on the ground, try to find the nest they came from and put them back. If the nest is out of your reach, the next best thing to do is place the baby in an open box and put it in the closest, highest spot that you can reach. This way the mother will have an easier time finding the little one when they return.

The baby seems hungry, should I feed it?

Although it’s in our nature to want to feed a baby animal, this is not a good idea. The food we feed them could upset their GI system and make them very sick. In some cases, a hungry baby could be a good thing, as their hunger cries will help alert the mother to their location.

The baby seems like it might be injured 

If you find a baby and it seems unhealthy or injured, the best place for it is with the Toronto Wildlife Centre. They specialize in rehabilitating wildlife that has been hurt while minimizing their human contact so that they are able to be released once they have recovered.

In all cases, the Toronto Wildlife Centre website can give you a lot of information regarding steps to take to help reunite mother and baby.
You can find the website for the Toronto Wildlife Centre HERE.

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