Report a stray domestic or wildlife that is sick, injured or distressed

To report a sick/injured stray domestic animal (dog, cat, chicken or other stray domestic animals) or wildlife (raccoon, bird, bat, squirrel, foxes, turtles), such as:

  • the animal that has been hit by a motor vehicle and is injured - and alive;
  • the animal is sitting near/on the road and makes no attempt to move away from traffic;
  • the animal displays obvious signs of trauma, such as active profuse bleeding, broken limb preventing the animal from walking;
  • the animal is clearly having difficulty breathing
  • the animal is displaying clear signs of neurological trauma such as having seizures
  • the animal is distressed or trapped
  • the animal is juvenile/orphaned (less than 7 weeks of age, e.g. kittens)
  • Note - Turtles: They may appear dead/not moving, submit a sick/injured service request.

Note: Animal Services does not pick up animals that are commonly considered pests such as rats or mice that are injured, sick or dead.

Contact 311 to submit a service request.

If you see a fox doing the following, call 311:

  • behaving strangely
  • growling
  • attacking inanimate objects

If the fox/wildlife is causing an immediate risk to public safety, contact Toronto Police

Animal Services needs to know where the animal is in order to respond. If the animal is mobile, we would ask the caller, if possible, to keep an eye on the animal until Animal Services arrives. A valid contact number must be provided.

If the animal is on private property, the property owner must remain on site to allow access to the property by Animal Services staff (please stay indoors when Animal Services arrives on the scene). If the property owner is unable to remain on-site, please email animalservices@toronto.ca with Permission to enter and the service request number in the subject line and a written statement in the body of the email authorizing Animal Services staff to enter your property.

Animal Services staff will respond to all reports to assess the situation of any animal in distress and determine what can be done to assist the animal. A specific location must be provided (not an intersection).

Note - Sick, Injured, Distressed Animals in a City Park: Animal Services will only respond to reports of sick, injured, distressed animals in City parks during the day.

Please see information specific to Injured birds .

Note: A stray dog or cat is an animal where the owner is not on the scene.

When the concern is regarding an animal on a City expressway (stray, distressed, injured) contact 311 to submit a service request. Animal Services will determine if  Toronto Police are needed to assist.

For more information about Animal Services, visit http://www.toronto.ca/animalservices.