If you find an injured or orphaned wild animal, keep your distance, keep pets and children away, and call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency before you touch it. Many baby animals that look abandoned are not, and a rehabilitator can tell you over the phone whether the animal needs help. In most states it is illegal for an unlicensed person to keep or raise a wild animal, even with good intentions.
This guide covers how to tell whether help is needed, how to contain an animal safely if a rehabilitator asks you to, and how to find help near you.
Step 1: Decide whether the animal really needs help
Signs that a wild animal needs help:
- Visible blood, wounds or a broken limb
- Caught by a cat or dog (even without visible wounds, cat saliva can cause dangerous infections)
- Shivering, lying on its side or unable to stand
- Covered in flies, ants or fly eggs
- A dead parent nearby
- Crying continuously for a long time
- A bird that is featherless or nearly featherless and on the ground
Signs that the animal is probably fine and should be left alone:
| Animal | Normal behavior that worries people | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fledgling birds (feathered, hopping) | On the ground, cannot fly yet | Leave it; parents usually feed it nearby. Keep pets inside. |
| Baby rabbits in a nest | Mother is not visible | Leave them; mother rabbits typically visit only around dawn and dusk. |
| Fawns (baby deer) | Lying alone, quiet | Leave it; the doe returns to feed it. Only call if it is injured or crying for many hours. |
| Baby squirrels | Fell from a nest | Give the mother a chance to retrieve it, kept warm and nearby, and ask a rehabilitator. |
| Opossums | Small ones alone | Joeys longer than about 7 inches (not counting the tail) are often independent; ask a rehabilitator. |
When in doubt, call before you act. Taking a healthy baby animal away from its parents is one of the most common ways people accidentally harm wildlife.
Step 2: Find a licensed rehabilitator
Wildlife rehabilitators are licensed by their state wildlife agency, and those caring for most native birds also need a federal permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. To find one:
- Browse wildlife rehabilitation centers in our directory or use the near me page
- Use Animal Help Now (ahnow.org), a national wildlife emergency locator
- Call your state fish and wildlife agency, which keeps a list of licensed rehabilitators
- Ask a local veterinary clinic, nature center or bird rescue
Many rehabilitators are volunteers working from home, so leave a clear message with your location, the species if you know it, and a description of the injury.
Step 3: Contain the animal safely (only if advised)
If the rehabilitator asks you to bring the animal in:
- Protect yourself. Wear thick gloves or use a towel. Never handle an animal with bare hands.
- Cover and scoop. Gently drop a towel over small animals and birds, then lift them into a box.
- Use a ventilated box. A cardboard box with small air holes and a soft cloth on the bottom works for most small animals.
- Keep it dark, warm and quiet. Place the box in a quiet room away from pets, children and noise. A heating pad on low under half of the box can help a baby animal, if the rehabilitator recommends it.
- Do not give food or water. Wrong food or forced water can cause aspiration or illness. This is one of the most common mistakes.
- Do not keep checking on it. Handling and looking at the animal causes stress.
- Transport promptly. Take it to the rehabilitator as soon as possible.
Animals you should not handle
Some animals should only be handled by professionals:
- Rabies vector species: raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats and groundhogs (in many areas)
- Large animals: adult deer, coyotes, bears
- Venomous snakes
- Birds of prey: hawks, owls and eagles have powerful talons
- Large wading birds: herons and similar birds can strike at eyes
If a bat is found in a room where someone was sleeping, or a person may have had contact with a bat, contact your local health department right away, because bat bites can be very small. Do not release the bat until you have asked for guidance.
For animals on roads or posing a public safety risk, call animal control or local police. See what animal control does.
Why you should not raise wildlife yourself
It may seem kind to raise a baby squirrel or bird at home, but:
- It is illegal in most states without a permit
- Wild animals have specific diets, and the wrong food causes serious health problems
- Animals raised by people often fail to learn survival skills or become dangerously habituated
- Some species can carry diseases that affect people and pets
Licensed rehabilitators raise orphans with others of their species and release them in suitable habitat.
What about injured pets or farm animals?
Domestic animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and chickens are not wildlife. For a lost or injured pet, see found a stray dog or contact a vet or local shelter.