Have you found an wild animal?

This webpage includes information on:  
- Who to contact when you find a wild animal;  
- The Five Rules of Rescuing a Wild Animal;  
- Information on Bird Flu/Avian Influenza and West Nile Virus.  

Who to contact:

Birds: includes information on who to contact; what to do if you find a songbird, waterbirds, raptors, or domestic birds; and why wild animals should not be kept as pets!    

Mammals: includes information on who to contact, what to do if you find a mammal (including bats, coyotes & foxes, fawn & deer, opossum, rabbits, raccoons, rodents, and squirrels), and why wild animals should not be kept as pets!

Reptiles & Amphibians: includes information on who to contact; what to do if you find an amphibians or reptiles; and why wild animals should not be kept as pets!

Five Important Rules for Rescuing a Wild Animal:

1. Keep the animal in a secure, dark container. 

2. Keep the animal Warm, 80-90 degrees. Place the container away from drafts. If the animal is very young (incompletely feathered, hairless, or with it's eyes still closed), put it on a heating pad set to low. If the animal is older, set half of the container on a box set to low and the other half of the box off of the heating pad (this will allow the animal to chose it's ideal temperature).

3. Stay Quiet around it and don't constantly look at it. Don't keep peeking.  A quiet, non-invasive environment will allow the animal to relax, reduce its stress, and will give it a better chance to survive.

4. Do not feed or give fluids!

5. Get it to rehabilitator as quickly as possible. Never keep the animal or try to treat it yourself! Rehabilitators are specially trained individuals! We can take any animal, no matter how sick or healthy, big or small. The animals best chance of success is with a rehabilitator!

Bird Flu and West Nile Virus:

Bird Flu/Avian Influenza:

Bird flu is a virus that is not in the United States (or North or South America). If you have found a sick bird, it does NOT have bird flu! For more information about bird flu, Click here for information from the World Health Organization and click here for information from the CDC.
Currently, cases have been confirmed in birds in Asia, Europe, and northern Africa while cases in humans have been confirmed in 10 countries. 

West Nile Viruse:

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a virus that is spread by mosquitoes (NOT birds). The best way to prevent WNV is to avoid mosquito bites. You can do this by:

* Avoid going outside during peak mosquito times (dawn, dusk, and early evening).

* Eliminate standing water or use mosquito abaitment procedures. This should be done to ALL standing water including swimming pools, potted plants, tire swings, and bird baths.

Click here for general information on WNV or here for information on how to avoid mosquito bites (and WNV).