Wildlife belongs in the wild. Occasionally, people will find juvenile wildlife that appears to be orphaned, sick or injured. The public should avoid handling wildlife to prevent bites and scratches. Some species can carry diseases and parasites that are harmful to humans. Injured wildlife also requires specialized and immediate care to recover and return to the wild. Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, a person may only keep wildlife for 24 hours to transport it to a wildlife custodian for care or medical attention or to relocate it following capture as a problem animal.
Juvenile wild animals do not make good pets because they become difficult to handle as they grow. Once used to humans, released animals are not likely to survive in the wild because they do not have the necessary skills to stay alive. They may also be attracted to people, leading to their eventual death. Wild animals can also be attracted to properties that provide shelter and/or food, resulting in conflict and property damage.
Just because a young animal is alone does not mean it is orphaned. It is normal for some species to leave their offspring temporarily alone, especially during the day. For example, deer and cottontail rabbits spend much of the day away from their well-camouflaged offspring to minimize the chance of predators finding them.
An exception would be the Virginia opossum, which spend the first three months of life in the female’s pouch. If you find a juvenile opossum alone, it is safe to assume that it is in need of help.
- Check the animal periodically for 24 to 48 hours to see if it is still around, but keep your distance.
- Keep cats and dogs away from the area where the young animal is; the adult will not return if it is noisy or if predators or people are close by.
- Blood, wounds or swelling on the body
- Lethargy or coldness to the touch
- Body covered in fleas
- Unusual or uneven loss of fur or feathers
- Vocalizing and/or following humans around
- A fawn that is wandering around
- Contact with a domestic cat
- Difficult or raspy breathing or sneezing
- A dangling leg or wing
- Closed eyes
- Head tucked under wing
The best approach is always to leave a juvenile wild animal alone unless you are certain it has been abandoned or it is injured.
If you find an injured, sick or orphaned wild animal, contact a wildlife custodian who can provide the specialized and immediate care necessary to help the animal. If you must handle it, seek the advice of a wildlife custodian to minimize risk of injury to yourself and to the animal. Wear protective clothing and equipment, such as leather gloves, to avoid bites or scratches, and wash hands well after handling the animal.
If you suspect there is a public health risk from a sick wild animal, such as rabies, or you or your pet had contact with a suspected rabid animal, contact your local Public Health Unit immediately. Rabies is fatal for humans and animals if not treated. Symptoms of rabies and several other diseases in animals can include tremors, aggressive behaviour, partial paralysis, convulsions, and loss of fear of humans.
To report a dead crow, raven or blue-jay bird contact your local Public Health Unit. To report other dead animals or birds contact the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC).
Alberta
Province-wide: Alberta Society for Injured Birds of Prey
Tel: 780-922-3024
E-mail: asibp@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Calgary: Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (CWRS)
Tel: 403-239-2488
E-mail: calgaryw@telus.net
Cochrane: Cochrane Ecological Institute – Cochrane Wildlife Reserve
Tel: 403-932-5632
E-mail: cei@nucleus.com
Edmonton: Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton
Tel: 780-914-4118
E-mail: WRSE@oanet.com
Lethbridge area: Coaldale Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 403-345-4262
Red Deer: Medicine River Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 403-728-3467
E-mail: mrwrc@telusplanet.net
Southern region, Rockyview municipal district: Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation
Tel: 403-946-2361
E-mail: info@aiwc.ca
British Columbia
Province-wide: Wildlife Rehabilitators Network of British Columbia
Tel: 604-939-9571
E-mail: info@wrn.bc.ca
Burnaby: The Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia
Tel: 604-526-7275
E-mail: info@wildliferescue.ca
Courtenay: Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society
Tel: 250-337-2021
Delta: Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society
Tel: 604-946-3171
E-mail: owlrehab@dccnet.com
Langley: Critter Care Wildlife Society
Tel: 604-530-2064
E-mail: crittercare1@shaw.ca
Prince Rupert: Prince Rupert Wildlife Rehab Shelter
Tel: 250-624-4159
E-mail: wildlife@citytel.net
Abbotsford: Elizabeth's Wildlife Center Society
Tel: 604-852-9173
Sunshine Coast (Gibsons): Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 604-886-4989
E-mail: gwrc@sunshine.net
Vancouver: Marine Mammal Rescue, Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
Tel: 604-258-SEAL (7325)
E-mail: rescue@vanaqua.org
Victoria: BC SPCA Wild Arc - Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 250-478-9453
E-mail: info@wildarc.com
Manitoba
Île Des Chênes: Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre (aka Manitoba Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization)
Tel: 204-878-3740
E-mail: mwrocent@skyweb.ca
Winnipeg: Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 204-510-1855
email: pwrcentre@gmail.com
Web:
www.pwildlife.ca
New Brunswick
Moncton: Moncton SPCA
Tel: 506-386-6091
Sackville: Maritime Atlantic Wildlife
Tel: 506-364-1902
E-mail: maw@mon.auracom.com
Nova Scotia
Colchester county (Hilden): Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Tel: 902 893-0253
E-mail: cwrc@cwrc.net
Seaforth: Hope for Wildlife Society
Tel: 902-452-3339
E-mail: info@hopeforwildlife.net
Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park
Tel: (902) 758-2040
E-mail: visserbj@gov.ns.ca
Chester: Spruce Cove Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: (902) 275-1373
E-mail: sprucecove@bwr.eastlink.ca
Tantallon: Final Flight Aviary Wild Bird Rescue
Tel: (902) 826-7468
E-mail: schoonerview@sprint.ca
Ellershouse: Angel Wings Wild Songbird Sanctuary
Tel: (902) 798-4768
E-mail: shonna13@ca.inter.net
Ontario
Public Health Units:
call 1-866-532-3161 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, or visit www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/contact/phu/phuloc_mn.html for a list of offices.
Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre:
call 1-866-673-4781, or visit http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml
Ontario Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Network (OWREN):
visit www.owren-online.org, contact info@owren-online.org or call 905-735-9556
Local Humane Society or local branch of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA):
visit http://ontariospca.ca/, call 1-888-668-7722 or the Ontario SPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at 705-534-4350.
Ottawa: Wild Bird Care Centre
Tel: 613-828-2849
E-mail: mojo@wildbirdcarecentre.org
Rockwood: SOAR - Songbirds Only Avian Rehabilitation
Tel: 519-856-4510
E-mail: drake@sentex.net
Sarnia: For the Birds Rehabilitation Services
Tel: 519-344-3229
E-mail: jbiggs@rivernet.net
Ottawa County (North Gower): Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Tel: 613-258-9480
E-mail: rideauwildlife@ripnet.com
Kitchener-Waterloo: Turtle Haven
Tel: 519-745-4334
E-mail: uros@sympatico.ca
Essex County (Amherstburg): Wings Avian Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 519-736-8172
E-mail: wings@mnsi.net
Toronto: Toronto Wildlife Centre
Tel: 416-631-0662
Utterson: A Wing And A Prayer, Muskoka Centre for Wild Birds
Tel: 705-385-1488
E-mail: jenright@primus.ca
Windsor: Erie Wildlife Rescue, Inc.
Tel: 519-969-3919
Quebec
Montreal: Urban Animal Advocates, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 514-366-9965
E-mail: uaawildlife@yahoo.com
Southwest region, Montérégie (Hudson) : Le Nichoir Bird Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 450-458-2809
E-mail: lenichoir@hotmail.com
Saskatchewan
Province-wide: Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 242-7177
E-mail: info@wrsos.org
Web: www.wrsos.org
Moose Jaw: Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre
Tel: 306-692-8710
E-mail: sboic@sasktel.net
Saskatoon:
Western College of Veterinary Medicine University of Saskatchewan
Tel: 306-966-5099
Yukon
Haines Jct (Kluane): Michelle Oakley, DVM, Yukon Wildlife Health Research
Tel: 867-634-7080
E-mail: Michelle.Oakley@gov.yk.ca
Information provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
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