An Arizona resident who stumbled upon a den of “kittens” tucked away behind a shed was unsure what to do.
The resident scooped up the “tiny baby animals” and brought them into the Arizona Humane Society, the nonprofit said in an April 24 news release.
However, while the “tiny babies” were undergoing health exams, the nonprofit said veterinary staff quickly realized they “were not domestic pets.” These animals were a bit more wild.
The wee critters were taken to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC), which identified them as gray foxes, the nonprofit said.
The kits will undergo rehabilitation before being released back into the wild when they are ready to be on their own, the nonprofit said.
The humane society urged that, while your first instinct may be to rescue baby animals, their “mothers offer the best chance of survival.”
“Don’t Kitnap Kittens … or Fox Kits, for that matter,” the humane society said.
The best thing you can do for “these fragile” babies is actually nothing at all.
“Mom will likely return shortly, and it’s critical that the kittens remain in her care as she offers the best chance for survival,” the nonprofit said.
If the mother does not return after eight hours, the nonprofit said “then it is likely the kittens are orphaned.”
If that happens, the nonprofit advises they be cared for inside a home until they reach 8 weeks of age.
“During kitten season, Valley shelters are overrun and don’t have adequate resources to care for them,” the nonprofit’s website says.
The nonprofit said it offers care kits, as well as “resources for vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries,” adding it can help find the kittens permanent homes “when they’re ready.”
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Source Agencies
