If You've Found an Animal in Need...
Please be sure that an animal is actually in need before attempting to help. For example, baby bunnies are left alone for most of the day in order not to draw predators to the nest. You should mark the nest with small twigs placed in an 'X' over the nest in order to determine if the mother is visiting the nest while no one is watching. Don't create orphans out of healthy animals!
If you have any questions, call us and speak to one of our trained staff or volunteers, or visit one of the links below for some preliminary information:
I Found a Baby Bird - Now What?
I Found a Baby Mammal - Now What?
Are Babies Out There?
If you have found an injured animal, gently place it into a box lined with paper towel or other soft materials. Ensure that the lid of the box is tight-fitting and well-secured. If the animal is too large for a box, or there is a possibility of it biting someone, cover it with a secure box such as a recycling box and call us immediately for further instructions.
If you have found a baby animal, please do not attempt to feed it unless we instruct you to do so. Simply place it into a box with some soft cloth or paper towels, and keep it in a warm, quiet place. Baby birds and mammals develop hypothermia quite easily without their parents' protection - warmth is frequently critical to their survival.
If you have found a wild animal that requires help, there are a number of locations where you can drop it off. Regular pick-up locations include:
Windsor Essex County Humane Society
1375 Provincial Rd, Windsor, ON
(519) 966 5751
Ojibway Nature Centre
5200 Matchette Road Windsor, Ontario
(519) 966-5852
(Please call for hours of operation)
Wings Main Office
5281 Middle Side Road, Amherstburg
(Essex Rd 10), between the 5th and 6th Conc
(519) 736-8172
Please call us if you plan to leave an animal at one of these locations so that we can make sure we schedule a pick-up. If none of these locations are accessible to you, please call us to make alternative arrangements.
Public List of Authorized Wildlife Rehabilitators
Not based in Windsor/Essex? Curious about other rehab centres throughout Ontario? This specialized list contains the contact information and area of expertise for animal rehab centres across Ontario.
Urban Wildlife
Many different wildlife species reside in the parks, riverfronts, and backyards of our community. Human-wildlife conflicts result as urban development encroaches on previously natural areas. Animals such as raccoons, deer, skunks, squirrels, birds, and opossums have largely managed to adapt well to our presence. Humans, on the other hand, are still working to master this living arrangement. Many people understand the need for effective, lasting, and humane solutions to occasional conflicts with wildlife—mostly because these people enjoy wildlife and want wild animals as neighbors—but many people also resort to inappropriate and environmentally irresponsible "solutions" to human-wildlife conflicts. Wings has worked with the City of Windsor and the Humane Society to develop an educational program about dealing with conflicts with urban wildlife. The brochure developed for this project contains a great deal of information about local wildlife species, and about steps that homeowners can take to address problems with urban wildlife.