GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) – Springtime means it is baby season in the wild. St. Francis Wildlife Association has received over 50 baby animals so far this season, including squirrels, possums and birds.<\/p>\n
Employees and volunteers work around the clock to take care of sick and injured wildlife at the rescue center. Over the course of a year, the nonprofit will help over 3,000 animals.<\/p>\n
The organization sees the most intake during baby season, which runs from February to October.<\/p>\n
Carol Randall, a volunteer at St. Francis, helps bring in babies and other animals for treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019ve picked up a couple of fawns, numerous birds and squirrels, and last week a goose,\u201d Randall said.<\/p>\n
Once an animal arrives, it immediately undergoes a full examination to see if it needs immediate treatment or medicine. Each baby will get a specialized formula based on the species.<\/p>\n
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The rescue and rehabilitation center will look after the animal until it can be released back into the wild and survive on its own.<\/p>\n
Madison Smith, the rehab apprentice, says it is important for people to call St. Francis if they see a baby animal that is injured or abandoned.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease always give us a call, every situation is different, so we love to hear about the situation, assess it and then go from there,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
If you find a sick or injured animal, St. Francis Wildlife takes in-person drop-offs. You can also bring it to Allied Emergency Hospital or Northwood Animal Hospital in Tallahassee.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery individual animal is important to the whole ecosystem. So, our goal is to always bring in as many animals as we can and save as many animals as we can,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
During this baby season, St. Francis is holding a baby shower this Saturday, March 21, at Native Nurseries from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The organization is collecting monetary and physical donations.<\/p>\n
For more information about how you can donate or get involved, visit their website<\/a> or their Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n