05:43 PM PDT on Friday, May 6, 2005

By GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News

SEATTLE -- So you just got rid of that unwanted wild creature living in your garage or attic and you're ready to board up its entry point. Hold on -- you might end up trapping something inside.

At the PAWS rehabilitation center in Clinton, Wash., a four-week-old otter gets regular feedings, cleanings and cuddling.

Its last home was the crawl space of a homeowner on Whidbey Island who called in a nuisance wildlife control operator.

“He chased the mother away and then proceeded to board up the entrance to the control space,” said PAWS naturalist Kevin Mack. “It was only that time that anyone heard the baby inside squeaking."

The baby ended up here at PAWS, which looks a lot like an orphanage these days with all kinds of babies. Some raccoons have similar stories.

KING

A baby otter being bottle-fed at PAWS.

"We currently have 14 orphaned raccoons in our care, seven or which came in due to their mothers being removed from attics," said PAWS wildlife rehabilitor Peggy Faranda.

At this time of year, animals in the wild look for safe places to give birth and that may end up being anything but safe PAWS officials are urging homeowners to call them for advice before chasing off nuisance wildlife.

Many abandoned babies die in attics and crawl spaces. A little orphaned river otter is one of the lucky ones.

"It came in completely freezing cold and lethargic, we didn't think it was going to make it, it weighed only 158 grams on intake and today it weighs over 900 grams, so it's doing really well," said Faranda.

PAWS rehabilitators try to recreate the sounds and experiences of the natural otter world and hope to pair the baby up with wild otters soon. They say it's going to be okay but would have been better off if left alone with its mother.

PAWS officials say in most cases, if left alone, the wildlife mothers will give birth and then leave attics and crawl spaces with their young in just a few months.