Last night, we received our first orphans of the season—infant raccoons. Sadly, they arrived in one of the most heartbreaking ways. These tiny babies lost their mother, not due to natural causes, but likely because she was trapped and relocated.
When people discover wildlife in their attics, sheds, or garages, their first instinct is often to remove the animal. Unfortunately, relocating a mother raccoon leaves her helpless young behind, crying and hungry. By the time they are found and brought to a wildlife rehabilitation centre or animal control, it’s often too late to reunite them. A relocated mother, placed in an unfamiliar environment, has little chance of finding her way back to her babies.
These little ones are now in the care of a specialized foster caregiver, as infant raccoons with closed eyes require round-the-clock attention. Once they are stabilized and feeding well from a bottle, they will return to the centre to continue their rehabilitation journey.
This is a reminder that humane solutions are always best when dealing with wildlife.