Found a Wild Animal?
Please don't kidnap me!
Not all wildlife need to be rescued. Sometimes mom may be out looking for food for herself and her babies. As concerned humans, it’s hard to know when to intervene.
Injured Wildlife
If a wildlife animal is injured it almost always needs to be observed. Depending on the injury, this may only require observing in their natural habitat. We never want to unnecessarily remove an animal from its environment or family. We don’t want to unnecessarily take an animal out of its environment unless it’s absolutely needed.
There may be times, however, when an injury warrants taking an animal into rehabilitative care. Instead of listing every scenario, just know if an animal is not acting or moving in a way it normally would, due to a broken leg, skin gash, bleeding, etc., it should be reported. This would be an appropriate time to contact a state permitted rehabilitator, such as myself, or another wildlife center to find out if intervention is needed as well as instructions for safe transport.
Abandoned Wildlife
Not all wildlife babies are in need of rehabilitative care. Many times a mom may have been moving her babies and got spooked, dropping one. Or she may be off finding food and have left her babies in a place where you come upon them and perceive them to be abandoned. We do not want to kidnap the babies from their moms. Their best hope at a normal life is always going to be with a parent. It also takes away resources and time for the ones that are truly in need of help. We may have you do a day/night or two of trying to reunite if you come across babies.
There are times when it is necessary to step in. There are a myriad of scenarios that lead to a baby, or group of babies, needing help and again, we are always happy to talk with you if there is a concern on a wildlife found, and take it in if needed. If we can’t take it in due to our space or time restraints, there are other rehabbers who likely can.