Want to Volunteer at Procyon Wildlife?

Our orphaned and injured baby wildlife needs your help.

NEW VOLUNTEERS APPLY HERE

RETURNING VOLUNTEERS APPLY HERE

INTERN APPLICATION FORM

URGENT: We are looking for animal care volunteers at Procyon wildlife for our morning (6 am to 11 am) and evening shifts (6 pm to 11 pm).

All mid-day shifts are currently spoken for.

During baby season wildlife babies need to be fed frequently during the day which is why our first shift goes from 6 am in the morning and our last shift ends at 11 pm at night).

 Please volunteer today. Animal care is rewarding. Help is in your hands.

Interested in Volunteering with Us?

Our first fawn of the season

Our first fawn of the year enjoying his outdoor time. This little guy came in last week after being found lying on his side, cold and lethargic at the side of the road. He is responding well to treatment and his hydration has improved. 

How he is pictured here is actually a perfect example of a fawn that DOES NOT need help. If you find a fawn peacefully curled up and quiet, it is extremely likely mom is nearby. 

Fawns do not have a scent so they are well camouflaged from predators. Their mother however, does have a scent so she stays away to protect her baby. She returns several times per day only to feed while the baby is too young to walk long distances. 

If you find a fawn that is lying on its side, is crying loudly, is approaching humans or has ears that curl at the ends, this baby may be orphaned and in need of help. 

We know they are adorable but please do not interact with fawns if you find a healthy one. They imprint very easily and acclimating them to human voice, touch or smell can be extremely dangerous to their future. 

At Procyon Wildlife, all fawn handlers are required to wear a gown to cover scent of clothing, a mask to shield the face and must refrain from talking around the fawn. As we must feed them by bottle, they are susceptible to imprinting so we must be diligent to avoid this. 

This young guy will be with us for the remaining of the summer and will be released at the end of hunting season. Our hope is he will have at least one companion to ensure he gets the proper socialization for his rehabilitation. 

This photo was captured with a zoom camera.


Procyon welcomes Lynn Perrier to our team!

Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre is pleased to announce that Lynn Perrier has joined our team as a consultant.

Lynn is a former businesswoman who has been actively fighting for protection and care of animals for the last three decades. She is the Founder of RAAW (Reform Advocates for Animal Welfare) and consults with members of the Provincial Government to bring about change in animal welfare laws for the Province of Ontario.

While her efforts have focused on domestic animals and wildlife, Lynn will now direct her time on the wildlife of Ontario in an effort to contribute better protection and care for wildlife and those who rescue them.

Lynn has had extensive communication with the OPP who have agreed to post a list of wildlife centres in Ontario at every OPP station. The goal is for officers and the public to seek out solutions that do not require killing the animal.

A great example of police, wildlife rehabbers and the Ministry of Natural Resources working together is the black bear who was wandering about Georgetown on May 18, 2023.

After numerous sightings by the public, the Halton Regional Police and the National Wildlife Centre managed to track the bear down. He was tranquilized and intubated to aid his breathing. A vet from the National Wildlife Centre was on scene to treat him. Police and the MNR have confirmed that the bear will be relocated to the wild. To read the full article about the safe capture of the bear read more here: https://www.insauga.com/video-bear-has-been-caught-in-georgetown/

Procyon is a registered charity dedicated to rescue, rehabilitate, and safely release orphaned and injured wildlife.

An extension of this mission is to educate the public to understand wildlife and their integral role in our world and to better protect them. Lynn’s philosophy aligns with these goals, and we warmly welcome her to our team.

Procyon Wildlife.

Leave that Baby Bunny Alone!

Message from the editor: We came across this helpful article and pictures by Kimberly Parker, former wildlife rehabber for the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition. She graciously agreed to let us share her images and message. We hope this sound advice will save baby rabbit lives. Removing baby rabbits from their nests, or unknowingly mowing over their nest can have fatal consequences!

If a rabbit is injured, has been attacked by a dog or cat, or has ants on it, then please bring it to the nearest wildlife centre for treatment. Otherwise, leave that bunny alone!

It is a MYTH that if you touch baby wildlife of any kind that the mother will no longer care for the babies. This is NOT true! Of course, don’t needlessly handle babies, but if you do pick up a rabbit, squirrel, bird etc to move it to safety or check for distress, the mother WILL still care for it after being touched.

PLEASE NOTE: As per MNRF regulations, Procyon Wildlife volunteers handle all wildlife wearing gloves. The images displayed show ungloved hands, and were taken several years ago and are courtesy of Kimberly Parker and are not Procyon Wildlife images.

Rabbit #1 : There is a distinct lighter colour under the skin. This is the milk line- milk in the babies stomach. The mother has recently fed this baby and is being cared for by the mother. It’s skin isn’t wrinkly and is not showing signs of dehydration. Leave this baby in the nest!

(more…)