Helping SICK, Injured, OR ABANDONED Animals
If you find a sick, injured, or abandoned animal that is clearly in need, you may want to take the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation center. This website provides tips on how to transport the animal and wildlife rehabilitation centers around the world.
Please note that the animal could be a young kid with parents nearby that is safe and does not need help. If unsure, try calling the rehab center and see what they advise. If the animal is any of the following, it may indeed need help.
- bleeding badly
- injured or broken body part
- shivering/weak
- emaciated
- no animals of same species nearby and the animal is a baby (no feathers or fur yet)
Source: Image of Injured Bald Eagle by Gary O. Grimm; source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/77209472@N00/5686316560/
Transport Tips
If the animal clearly needs help and you need to transport it to the wildlife rehabilitation center, please check out the following tips for transporting small animals. For larger animals, please have a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, or someone else help you transport the animal.
- Handle the animal with gloves (such as garden gloves) and be gentle.
- Prepare a box with holes (many, such as three or more on each of the four walls). Each hole should be one to two peas wide. Add holes to the lid or top flaps of the box, too.
- Choose a box that gives the animal a few inches or more to move.
- (Optional - i.e., time-permitting) Line the box with a soft cloth so that the animal rests on a soft surface. A hand towel or handkerchief will work.
- Place the box close to the animal so that you do not have to carry the animal far to put it in the box.
- Stay calm and hold the animal carefully but do not hurt the animal (i.e., do not squeeze too far, do not pull the animal by its head, support its body instead, etc.).
- The animal may try to bite you. Be careful and again, make sure the box is close to the animal so that you do not have to carry the animal for long.
- If driving, make sure the box is secured so the box does not slide around and so that the animal does not fall out. Do not speed - drive carefully and relax. You do not want to get in a car crash! Safety first!
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers
Below is a list of wildlife rehabilitation centers and contact information for each. The list is added to on a regular basis.
Check back soon for more countries.