What
can I do when I find an injured wild animal?
Thank you for
your interest in saving a wild animal. Many
wild animals are
killed daily due to human interference in wild habitats, by cars,
windows,
pets and toxins. The first thing to do
when you
find an injured wild animal is to protect yourself.
If it is large or dangerous (deer, raccoons, skunk, etc.) call
animal
control to take care of it. If it is small
pick
it up with a towel and place it in a cardboard box, or scoop it up with
the
box or trap or other similar item. Make
sure
it doesn’t bite you, especially if it is a mammal (because all mammals
can
carry rabies). If a mammal does bite you,
don’t let it get away—it will need to be euthanized and tested for
rabies; otherwise
you will have to get post exposure rabies treatment.
Most wild birds can bite fairly hard but only large birds or
raptors (hawks, owls) can really cause damage. Remember
that raptors’ weapons are their talons, not their beaks.
What do I do after I catch it?
Keep the animal
in a
cardboard box or carrier and bring it in to us. If
you cannot come in right away, keep the box in a quiet dark place to
reduce the stress as much as possible. We
will have you sign a waiver and release the animal to us and you can
indicate whether you want us to notify you about how the case turns out.
What
will the doctor do?
We will examine
the animal and determine whether it is likely not only to survive their
injuries but recover to its full health. If
it has a
chance of full recovery, we treat it for whatever injuries it has
(usually
including antibiotic therapy and surgery) and hospitalize the animal if
needed,
or transfer it to a local wildlife rehabilitator for recovery and
physical
therapy. If the injuries are severe enough
to impair its ability to survive in the wild, it will be considered not
releasable and every attempt will be made to transfer the animal to a
nature center or other educational facility. If
one of these facilities is not available, it will be humanely
euthanized. This is preferable to
releasing a crippled animal into the wild to starve to death or be
killed by a predator. We perform these
services at no charge to help local wildlife; it is also good practice
if procedures are required that we perform infrequently on pets. In general, unless the animal
is endangered, wildlife rehabilitation has little effect on the
population of the particular species—what helps the most is what you
and your family and friends can do at home to prevent injuries and
otherwise help wildlife (see below).
Can I
keep the animal after it gets better?
No.
It is illegal in California
to keep wild animals, dead or alive, without a permit or hunting
license (California Fish and Game Code sections 3800-3806, 2000-2019
and 2116-2127 among others). In addition,
it is unethical
to keep an animal in a cage that should be free. It
can also be dangerous or even deadly to you, your children or your pets
if the animal is carrying certain diseases. If
the wild animal is releasable, you may be able to watch or even assist
with the release if you are interested.
What
can I do at home?
There are many
things you can do. Start with logging on
to http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/KeepWildlifeSafe.html
and follow their links. Most injuries to
songbirds occur when they fly into windows and when cats attack them. Dogs will occasionally attack birds, but
usually
attack squirrels and other mammals. This
is not
only dangerous to the wildlife, but to your dog as well due to the
potential
to contract rabies from the wild animal.
Another thing you
can do is to reduce the amounts of toxins you spill on the ground,
especially antifreeze. Antifreeze is a
toxin that will kill cats, dogs and children as well, and should never
be left on the ground. Antifreeze and used
motor oil should be recycled
at local recycling centers.
Remember to cut
your six-pack holders (the plastic rings) and other potential
strangulation
hazards into small pieces before you throw them away, and make sure you
cut used fishing line into short lengths (6 or 8 inches) as well—these
two hazards kill huge numbers of wild animals.
Of course, the
main threat to wildlife is habitat destruction by various means (which
include direct destruction for farmland and buildings, climate change,
introduction of non-native species and use of pesticides and other
toxic chemicals). You can help prevent
this by joining organizations like Audubon, National Wildlife, the
Sierra Club and many others.
Other things you
can do include recycling as much as possible, buying recycled products
and
eating organic food. All of these reduce
the
stress on the environment and promote a healthier planet.
There are many
other ideas on the internet as well.
Directions 
Avian/Exotics
Mission