When in the wild or even in your own backyard the unexpected can happen. I will guide you and your family on how to be a wildlife hero by knowing what to do when you find injured or orphaned animals.
Before taking matters into your own hands always call the Think Wild hotline at 541-241-8680. They can connect you with a licensed rehabilitator. By doing so you are giving that animal the best chance at survival.
Important. In some situations animals may not be orphaned or can stay in the wild with minimal help, this is why it is important to call the hotline and receive professional advice.
If an animal is clearly injured, orphaned or in danger please get the animal to a safe location. We always recommend you to wear gloves as wild animals can carry diseases.
Contain the animal. The least stressful way to collect an animal is to wrap it in a towel or cloth and set it in a box. The smaller the animal the smaller the box. For example: shoe boxes work great for birds and small mammals. Make sure there are air holes, the box has a lid, and put a soft cloth or paper towels in the bottom.
Payton demonstrates provisioning a smaller animal/bird box with heat under half of the box (allowing the animal to moderate their heat within).
Ensure warmth. Most animals need to be kept warm. You can put a heating pad on low setting only and put the box half on and half off so the animals can go to the cooler side if they get too warm. If no heating pad is available you can use hand warmers or a water bottle full of hot water. Wrap the hand warmers or water bottle with paper towels and place directly in the box. Make sure to secure the water bottle in place so it does not roll further injuring the animal.
Keep in dark, quiet place to minimize stress. Place the box in a dark and quiet space away from domestic pets and young children while you wait for instructions. There are many reasons why you should not feed or water animals unless directed by the rehabilitator.
Important. Animals are not used to being in human care and this process of getting help can be stressful for them. Often animals go into shock and we ask you to handle them as little as possible to avoid further stress.
Please deter from following social media advice and remember that wildlife is meant to stay in the wild and should not be kept as pets and it’s illegal. We appreciate the help of people like you who are educating themselves about how to responsibly handle wildlife. Keep these instructions handy as you never know when you’ll be called on to be an animal rescuer. Thank you for reading, stay tuned for more helpful tips.
Payton is a true wildlife lover, and is volunteering her time to help spread the education message about the small and easy things we can do everyday to help wildlife.