General Topics and Information - Central East
Site: Various Locations
Service: Reporting Sick, Orphaned or Injured Wild Animals
Record #:
CWD7615
Last Modified:
04 Oct 2024
Last Full Update:
05 Aug 2020
Description
Description (Service) | Reporting Sick, Orphaned or Injured Wild Animals If you see what you think may be sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, don't remove it from its natural habitat. The bird or animal may not need assistance and you could actually do more harm in your attempt to help. Where an animal is in need of help, it requires specialized care to recover and return to the wild. You cannot keep wildlife in captivity without approval from the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. However, a person may possess a wild animal for up to 24 hours to transport it to a wildlife custodian or a veterinarian. Determining if Wildlife is Orphaned Some species leave their offspring alone temporarily, 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. To determine if young wildlife is truly orphaned:
Animal bite or contact with a suspected rabid animal, contact your family physician, or go to the local hospital emergency department, contact your local Public Health Unit If you suspect there is a public health risk from a live sick wild animal, such as rabies, call your local police force or detachment of the OPP or your local public health unit For dead animals at the side of the road, depending on the area, call Animal Control or either the Municipal or County roads department. Dead, potentially rabid wildlife contact the MNDMNRF rabies hotline 1-888-574-6656 To report other dead animals, including birds and bats, contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative 1-866-673-4781 Dead, potentially rabid pet or livestock contact OMAF Agricultural Information Contact Centre 1-877-424-1300 Provincial government, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Rabies is fatal for humans and animals if not treated. If you or a family member is unfortunate enough to be bitten by an animal, wash the wound right away with soap and water. Clean the wound thoroughly and then contact your doctor. You should also ensure the health unit is notified of the incident so that it can be investigated and assessed for potential rabies risk. Based on this assessment, post-exposure rabies immunization may be recommended. Symptoms of rabies and several other diseases in animals can include tremors, aggressive behaviour, partial paralysis, convulsions, and loss of fear of humans. |
Service Details
Hours | n/a |
Areas Served | Ontario |
Eligibility | n/a |
Application | Call |
Languages | English |
Fees | None |
Address and Location
Address & Map | Coordinates: 44.6073644, -79.4190960 |
Physical Access | Not Applicable |
Contact Information
Office Phone | No public telephone number |