A surge of young wildlife has prompted more calls to local animal services and raises concerns about when, or if, people should intervene. The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth says spring marks peak “baby season,” when they get more reports involving young animals such as rabbits, squirrels and raccoons. “People see babies that are alone and assume they’ve been abandoned,” said Cheyenne Toutant, an animal services officer. “But in many cases, the parents are nearby.” In one recent case, wildlife control workers went to a home where five baby raccoons were discovered inside an attic. “They’re just young enough that they don’t open their eyes yet, they can’t hold themselves up,” explained one of the rescuers. Ryan Rainville, a manager with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, said the goal in those situations is to safely remove the animals but keep the furry family together. “We begin by removing the babies, and then we can use them to lure the mother out so she can’t get back into the house.” Spring is the busiest time of year for these types of calls, as animals seek out safe places to give birth. “They’re messy house guests ,” Rainville added. “They’re going to do a lot of damage.” While some situations require professional intervention, the Humane Society says most encounters with baby wildlife do not. Adult animals often leave their young alone for long periods of time to avoid attracting predators, returning at dawn and dusk to feed them. “Moms usually don’t stay with the nest,” Toutant explained. “That doesn’t mean the babies are abandoned.” She warns that well-meaning attempts to help can be dangerous, especially when it comes to feeding wildlife. “A lot of people will feed rabbits or squirrels kitten milk, which is actually deadly to them because they can’t digest the proteins.” Instead, residents are encouraged to call animal services if they are unsure whether an animal actually needs help. Officials said the key message is simple: when it comes to baby wildlife, less intervention is often the best. “Animals don’t abandon their babies for no reason,” Toutant said. “The best thing you can do is leave them alone and let the parents do their job.”
