If you have found another species of baby wild animal within the GTA (including Toronto, York Region, Durham Region, and Halton Region), fill out our online Request for Assistance Form; using this form and uploading photos helps us assess your situation more quickly. We will respond as soon as possible. Our hours are 9am-6pm, seven days a week (yes, even on most holidays!).
Please note that Toronto Wildlife Centre is sometimes at capacity for common baby species, and we also have minimum age requirements for most babies we admit. If you have received an email stating that we are at capacity, or cannot admit the baby you have found, you will need to seek assistance from another wildlife rehabilitator. Please see the OMNRF list of authorized wildlife rehabilitators and/or the map on our website for more information.
Keep trying. Wildlife rehabilitators are very busy, especially during the spring and summer. If you get an answering machine, leave a message and make it easy for them to reach you. Call around to others in the area. Be willing to arrange transportation for the animal once a rehabilitator is found. Remember that there is no government funding for wildlife rehabilitation in Ontario, and all rehabilitators are funded entirely by private donations.
You cannot keep the baby or care for it yourself – it needs specialized care that you don’t have the means to provide. Keep it in a cardboard box in a dark, quiet, place. Make sure it has a heat source, like a hot water bottle. Don’t give it any food or water until you’ve spoken to a wildlife rehabilitator. Further temporary care instructions can be found here.
