What Should I Do ?
Your safety is our priority! If you do not feel comfortable interacting with the animal please leave it alone. You may contact us for information or allow nature to take its course. Often, leaving the animal provides the best outcome. Remember, all animals have the fight or flight instinct. If they are too injured/scared to run away then they will fight.
Determine if the animal is truly in need of rescue through observation.
Is it clearly injured? (blood or bone showing)
Does the animal appear sick? (excessive flies, severely emaciated)
Are you certain the animal is an orphan? (mother found dead nearby)
Attempt capture only if you have the adequate equipment and container ready. Use gloves and/or a fleece blanket to place the animal in a box with air holes or a pet carrier. You may also want another person to assist.
Do NOT attempt to feed or water the animal.
This is extremely important! Without specialized treatment, wildlife formula, and appropriate feeding supplies you WILL cause more harm. Wildlife can survive long periods of time without food or water and will survive until a rehabilitator is contacted. Many complications include: aspiration, drowning, suffocating, metabolic disease, bloat, organ failure, bacteria transfer, capture myopathy, cross contamination, zoonoses and even imprinting. Please do not feed or water the animal.
Keep the animal warm, in a quiet environment, and away from pets and children. You are a predator and the animal is scared. Stress will kill.
Contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible and follow instructions given. Please consider giving a donation to help cover the expensive costs of rehabilitation.