Wildlife

We have wildlife as our neighbours, whether we see them or not. It is only when they become sick, injured, or orphaned, or become a nuisance, that we realize just how close they are.

In general, the best advice is don't interfere with nature. This means, among other things, don't feed wildlife, and don't disturb nests and babies. There are times, however, that interference may be necessary. Determining those times can often be difficult, and jumping in to help too soon can be detrimental. If you have a raccoon sitting in your living room, for example, it is very obvious that something needs to be done! But if you find a nest of baby bunnies with no mom in sight, it is not as clear. How do you know what to do? You can always call the Oakville and District Humane Society and explain the situation. We will either offer advice, or come out and help if it is appropriate, or we will refer you to people who can help.

If you find an animal that appears sick, injured, or in distress, please call us at our main number 905-845-1551 - any time - and let us know. During regular office hours you will speak with one of our staff. After hours you will speak with our Answering Service, and they will page an Animal Protection Officer to assist you.

For other situations, please feel free to contact us, however there are organizations that are experts with wildlife that may be better able to assist you.

Here are some great sites to visit:

Toronto Wildlife Centre - for information on wildlife rehabilitation, for advice on the common problem of birds flying into windows, and more.

OWREN, the Ontario Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Network - for great information on wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife conflicts, what to do if you have found a wild animal, and more.

The Ontario SPCA - for wildlife information in general, for information on how to determine if wildlife need your help and for guidelines on how to help them.

Humane Wildlife Control - for great information on how to handle wildlife home invasions and more. For quick information on different species of wildlife, check our the information sheets below, kindly provided by Humane Wildlife Control. They can be reached by phone at 1-888-211-7555.