Help Baby Wildlife in Ontario

Let Premier Kathleen Wynne know you don’t want to see animals like Rosie die!

Rosie a 5-week old baby raccoon whose mother was killed, was left to die because of government regulations. Thousands of helpless young animals like Rosie, face a cruel and unnecessary death every year because of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources regulations that outlaw responsible and humane help for wildlife, forcing many wildlife rehabilitators out of operation.

The Ministry's heartless advice to people finding an orphan is to "leave the animal there and let nature takes its course."

Help Rosie and thousands of other Ontario orphaned wild animals like those shown in the videos on the right by signing the petition below.

Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Liberal Party made a commitment on September 10, 2011 to change MNR regulations that leave animals like Rosie to die. Thanks to the hundreds of compassionate people that sent letters, the Ontario Liberal Party has promised:

1)  Regarding the 15-kilometer release restriction – we will review this policy, and seek to resolve this issue directly with wildlife rehabilitators.
 
2)  We will implement a centralized and transparent custodial authorization process to help ensure equitable treatment of wildlife rehabilitators and the consistent application of standards across the province.

3)  We will ensure that wildlife rehabilitators’ redress is commensurate with other license holders under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

4)  In addition, we will enhance programs that encourage wildlife rehabilitators to seek authorization in Ontario, and promote wildlife rehabilitation as a valuable voluntary resource in the province.

Click to read letter from the Ontario Liberal Party.

Please sign the petition below so that we can ensure Kathleen Wynne finally gets on with fulfilling the Liberal Party’s long-outstanding promises so that thousands more baby animals like Rosie don’t have to suffer and die again next spring.

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Signatures: 7091

 

Stories & Videos

Baby raccoons feedingThese five healthy baby raccoons would have been euthanized had it not been for a rescuer who was unprepared to take the government’s heartless advice.

Two baby minksLike you and I, people are very upset when they discover baby animals in distress like these two orphaned baby minks and cannot find help for them. However, once again, with another wildlife birthing season underway, there are thousands of orphaned baby animals being left to die in Ontario because of arbitrary and unnecessary government regulations.

 The major barrier is an unrealistic restriction that limits the release of rehabilitated orphaned animals to within 15 kilometers of where they were found. This too often means that animals are dumped back into unsuitable areas and without the critical transitionary care that gives them their best chance of survival.

Four baby skunksBecause of this many rehabilitators have reluctantly had to stop caring for wildlife. As a former wildlife rehabilitator recently wrote "I decided not to renew my Authorization. I refuse to compromise my integrity by placing myself in a position that would require me to lie in order to provide responsible care. And I refuse to provide substandard care. Manipulating the books minimizes the issue and sends out the message that everything is okay - it is not".

Baby raccoon closeupThis website is proof of the growing number of people who know that things are not okay and are demanding change.

We are carrying out a survey of candidates running in the Ontario election this fall to ask them to supply the moral leadership to see this unacceptable situation for wildlife changed. We will be letting you know their answers before the election.

As one frustrated resident unable to find help for an orphaned baby squirrel wrote, "what has happened to this province - I’ve lived in many less-prosperous countries where there was a compassionate response – this is certainly not the kind of Ontario that I want to call home".

VIDEOS

Baby raccoon feeding Baby raccoons feeding
Baby raccoon resting Two baby raccoons resting
Four baby skunks Two baby minks

Backgrounder:
See backgrounder for further information and photos.  Click to read.

About Us:
The Ontario Wildlife Coalition is made up of organizations and individuals drawn from wildlife rehabilitation, animal welfare and environmental interests from across Ontario.  Click to find out more.

 
 

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