Welcome to
My Wildlife Rescue
Have you found an orphaned or abandoned wild
baby rabbit or hare? If so, we can help …
My Wildlife Rescue specializes in the care of abandoned neonatal and juvenile Eastern Cottontail rabbits (kits) and young Snowshoe hares (leverets) that have been found in the Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) area.
Our goal is to care for these babies in a safe environment until they can be returned to the wild as young adults with appropriate survival skills.
We strive for high survival rates and successful releases.
Have you found a kit or leveret?
There are many physical similarities between a a young Eastern Cottontail (kit) and Snowshoe Hare (leveret). To ensure the correct ‘next steps’ are taken, it is important to first know which species you have found. To aid you in making this decision, below are some photos that show distinct differences between kits and leverets. Each row shows individuals of similar ages.
Kit (neonatal or juvenile Eastern Cottontail Rabbit)
One or two day old Eastern Cottontail Rabbit. Notice his eyes are closed.
Seven to ten day old Eastern Cottontail Rabbit – just opened his eyes today.
Four to five week old Eastern Cottontail Rabbit. He is old enough to be on his own so please let him be.
Leveret (young Snowshoe Hare)
One or two day old Snowshoe Hare. Note his big hind feet, his eyes are already open and he is fully furred.
Nine to ten day old Snowshoe Hare. Note the furry ears and rough coat.
Five week old Snowshoe Hare. He is old enough to be on his own. Please do not try to catch him.
Now that you have determined what species you found you can proceed to the relevant rescue information using the buttons below.
Our ambition is that you find the information on this site both useful and interesting.
If you have any questions or comments, please Contact Us.
We would love to hear from you!