SCOTTSDALE, AZ (CBS5) -
Workers at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center have been taking in a ton of baby animals lately.
"This time of year is orphan - um, baby season I should say," Cassie Boyle said.
It's easy to see why the word orphan goes hand in hand with baby season for Boyle. Cages are filled with baby animals orphaned in the last few months. Boyle said folks have been taking them in instead of having them just stay put.
"I think we've gotten about 17 or so coyote puppies, we've gotten seven bobcat kittens, we're probably close to 20 racoon babies," Boyle said.
Add in dozens of javelina babies and teeny tiny skunks and you've got a full house of babies who need constant care.
"Southwest usually runs about $50,000 per month," Boyle said.
That's big bucks for the nonprofit to keep the animals safe, but the main goal is getting them back out in nature.
"We're going to release them back into the wild, so our concern is just taking care of them," Boyle said.
What she said she wants you to remember is where they belong.
"They're not like humans where you can just load them up in your car, go to the grocery store and get groceries. Mom has to leave the babies," Boyle said.
So the next time you see a little fur ball all alone, give SWCC a call before you scoop him up.
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