Found an Injured or Orphaned Wild Animal? How to Find Help

If you found a wild animal that's hurt or seems orphaned, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency before you touch it. Many baby animals that look alone are fine, and a rehabilitator can tell you over the phone whether this one needs help. You can find one through your state or provincial wildlife agency, or through our wildlife directory, which pulls licensed rehabilitators from state license lists.

Call before you pick it up

The US Fish and Wildlife Service passes on one rule from rehabilitation experts: pick up the phone before you pick up the bird. A rehabilitation center can tell you whether to leave the animal alone or bring it in for treatment. Sometimes the advice is to move a young bird to a higher spot or back to its nest. One rehabilitator quoted by the Service says people can send photos from their phones, so staff can ask questions such as whether the parents are around.

Wild animals can hurt you, too. The Service warns that an injured animal is more likely to be aggressive and could be ill and carrying disease. The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) adds that trying to help without a rehabilitator's guidance is illegal in most places and dangerous for both you and the animal.

When a baby animal does not need rescue

Most young wild animals found alone are not orphans. North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission says most young wildlife is left alone, sometimes for long periods, and wild parents almost never abandon their young. It advises waiting at least 24 hours before you act on a young animal found alone, then talking to a wildlife professional to learn if or how you should help. The species guidance below comes from state and federal wildlife agencies.

Fawns

New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) says mother deer often leave fawns hidden while they feed and come back about every 4 to 5 hours. A fawn that is alone and quiet but alert, with no obvious injuries, is likely normal. MassWildlife goes further: even if you see a fawn alone for several days, you should still leave it alone. The DEC says to keep children and pets away and watch from far off, since the doe may not come back while people are near.

Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) lists the signs that change the picture. Call for help if a fawn has any of these:

• It is crying
• Fire ants are covering it
• Its eyes are swollen
• It has visible wounds

In Massachusetts, call MassWildlife at 508-389-6300 about a visibly injured fawn, because rehabilitators there can't care for fawns.

Baby birds

The Fish and Wildlife Service sorts baby birds into two groups. Nestlings are not ready to leave the nest, and one may need help if it's featherless or its eyes are closed. Fledglings have more developed feathers and move around on their own while their parents keep caring for them nearby, so they generally don't need help.

If you find a nestling and can see its nest, the Service says the best thing to do is place it back in the nest. If you can't find the nest, leave the bird where it is or move it to a shaded spot. Your scent won't keep the parents away. TPWD notes that it's common for birds to leave the nest before they are fully feathered or ready to fly. If a healthy fledgling is in a street, TPWD suggests moving it under a nearby bush and keeping pets away for a few hours.

Cottontail rabbits

A mother cottontail may come back to the nest only at dawn and dusk, according to NY DEC. To check whether a nest is still in use, the DEC suggests laying leaves or light sticks over it and looking later to see if they've been moved. A small rabbit with its eyes open that hops around outside the nest is likely independent.

Signs an animal does need help

The Fish and Wildlife Service says a wild animal needs help if you see any of these:

• A visible broken limb
• Bleeding
• Shivering
• A dead parent nearby

In any of these cases, call a licensed rehabilitator and follow their directions. The Service says to always call ahead and make arrangements before you transport an animal.

Who licenses wildlife rehabilitators

The Fish and Wildlife Service says most states require a permit or license to rehabilitate wildlife, and some species, including most birds, need federal permits as well. Most states also require training and approved facilities. In New York, the DEC says licensed rehabilitators are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife.

The federal permit for migratory birds

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protects more than 1,000 bird species, including most native birds. The Fish and Wildlife Service says the law bars almost any human interaction with these birds, including killing or capturing them, unless the Service permits it. Rehabilitation centers that take these birds must hold both federal and state permits.

To get the federal migratory bird rehabilitation permit, an applicant must be at least 18 and have 100 hours of hands on rehabilitation experience over at least one year for each type of bird they plan to treat. The federal permit isn't valid unless the holder also meets state requirements, which may be stricter. A permitted rehabilitator can generally hold a bird for up to 180 days and must release a bird that can return to the wild when conditions allow.

What rehabilitators can and can't take

Not every rehabilitator takes every animal. In Massachusetts, licensed rehabilitators can't take deer or black bears, and the state names a few other species they can't take. They also can't treat species protected under the state's endangered species law. Massachusetts notes that its rehabilitators volunteer their time and aren't paid by the state.

Birds need extra care in your search. The Fish and Wildlife Service points out that some rehabilitators near you may not be licensed for birds, so confirm that a facility handles your species before you go. For hawks and owls, our birds of prey listings can help, but ask any facility whether it holds a federal migratory bird rehabilitation permit.

Canada

In Canada, the provinces set the rules. Ontario says only wildlife custodians, its name for authorized wildlife rehabilitators, can legally give wild animals temporary care. The province publishes a public list of custodians and notes that the list is not complete. British Columbia issues a permit to possess live wildlife for rehabilitation facility purposes.

Keeping a wild animal without a permit is illegal in most places

Taking a baby animal home can feel like the kind thing to do. State and provincial agencies are clear that you shouldn't:

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: "it is illegal to possess wildlife without the required state and federal permits."
• MassWildlife: "It is illegal to take an animal from the wild to care for or keep as a pet."
• North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: "It is illegal in North Carolina to keep most wildlife species without a permit."
• New York DEC tells people not to consider young wildlife as possible pets, and says it is illegal.
• Ontario: "Ontario's laws generally do not allow people to keep wildlife."

There is a narrow exception for getting the animal to help. Federal rules let a person who finds a sick, injured or orphaned migratory bird take possession of it, without a permit, for immediate transport to a licensed veterinarian or a federally permitted bird rehabilitator. Ontario lets you hold a sick or injured wild animal, or a young one, for up to 24 hours while you take it to a custodian or veterinarian. Ontario also says not to approach or try to capture a wild animal until you've talked to a custodian.

The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) says the same. Wildlife is often protected by laws that make it illegal to possess a wild animal without a permit, with an exception for taking it to a licensed rehabilitator. The IWRC also warns against trying to care for or raise wildlife without training, because wild animals need specialized treatment and diets to recover.

How to find a licensed rehabilitator near you

Start with official lists, then widen the search if you need to. This table shows where to look.

| Where to look | What you'll find |
|-|-|
| Your state wildlife agency | State agencies can point you to licensed rehabilitators. NY DEC has a Wildlife Rehabilitators page, MassWildlife has a map of rehabilitators, and TPWD lists rehabilitators by county. |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service bird rehab map | A map of migratory bird rehabilitation facilities, for injured wild birds. |
| Animal Help Now | A US wildlife emergency service with a database of more than 3,700 helpers, including rehabilitators, rescues, hotlines and veterinarians who treat wildlife. |
| NWRA | Links to state lists of licensed rehabilitators. NWRA says it doesn't maintain those lists and can't vouch for the people on them. |
| IWRC international directory | Rehabilitators in Canada and Mexico. |
| Provincial wildlife agencies | In Ontario, a public list of authorized wildlife custodians. |
| Our wildlife directory | Licensed rehabilitators from state license lists, each showing its source. |

Some agencies also take calls. TPWD runs a Wildlife Information Line at 1-800-792-1112, and NY DEC says to call your nearest DEC regional wildlife office. If you can't find a rehabilitator through these sources, the NWRA central office at 320-230-9920 can help you locate a member during business hours.

If no one answers

Massachusetts says to leave a voicemail, because rehabilitators will call back. NWRA notes that rehabilitators are often extremely busy and volunteer their time, and it advises you to relax and not rush what you do next. Massachusetts also says rehabilitators are usually unable to pick up injured wildlife, so ask them how to safely capture and transport the animal.

NWRA says these local offices may also be able to refer you to a rehabilitator:

• Your town or county animal control office
• A humane society
• A local veterinarian
• An animal protection association

What to tell a rehabilitator when you call

Have these details ready when you call:

• The species, if you know it, since not every rehabilitator accepts every animal.
• Exactly where you found it and how long you've watched it.
• Any signs of injury, such as bleeding or a broken limb.
• Whether you've seen a parent nearby, alive or dead.
• Photos, if the rehabilitator asks for them.

Then follow their directions. They may tell you to leave the animal right where it is.

How our wildlife listings work

We build our wildlife listings from public records, including state wildlife rehabilitator license lists such as those published by New York DEC and MassWildlife. Every listing shows where it came from. Our wildlife category also includes USDA licensed exhibitors, who are not rehabilitators. When you need help for a hurt animal, check that a listing's source is a state rehabilitator list before you call.

You can browse by state, such as New York or Texas. Listings marked Featured are paid placements and are always labeled, and you can read how results are sorted. Contact details come with an Unlimited Access plan. In an emergency, don't wait on a subscription. Use your state agency's list or hotline instead.

If you're a licensed rehabilitator and see your listing, you can claim your profile for free.