Every spring and early summer, hundreds of orphaned wild animals are picked up when they would do perfectly well left alone.

In most cases, the intended rescue results in a death sentence.

If the animal does end up in the hands of a professional wildlife rehabilitator, its chances are better but still not good. And over-worked rehabilitators have enough to do with animals that are genuinely injured.

Bird and animal mothers will often leave their young in search of food during the day. Humans entering the area are often convinced the young have been abandoned and pick them up in order to save them.

Unfortunately, such action almost always leads to the animals’ death.

Picking up these young animals – under any circumstances – is against the law. Fines can be as much as $1,000.

Wild animals are better off left in the wild.