Injured/Orphaned Wildlife

What to do

If you find an injured or orphaned native animal, call a wildlife rescue organisation straight away for advice and assistance to help you give the best care for the animal:

Sydney Wildlife Rescue  9413 4300
WIRES 1300 094 737

 

These organisation may ask you to take the animal to a vet if you feel capable of handling it.

Handling injured wildlife

Do not handle animals unless you can protect yourself from scratches, bites etc Wear gloves or cover your hands or use object to create barrier. Animals are likely to bite or scratch you out of fear and can carry diseases that are harmful to you.

Do not put yourself in danger from hazards like cars etc. If safe to do so isolate threats to the animal such as traffic, cats and dogs or pedestrians.

Calm the animal by covering it with a cloth or box. Darkened, confined, and quiet spaces can help keep an animal calm.

If the wildlife rescue organisation you have called believes it is safe for you to handle the animal this is likely to be what you may be asked to do:

  • Note the location where you picked up the animal eg. Nearest cross street, closest house number.
  • Handle the animal as little as possible to minimise causing it stress.
  • Gently place it in a container and SECURE the top. Animals can become surprisingly active in a short time once conscious or slightly recovered. Ensure there is a hole for air. Containing the animal is very important. If you only have a cloth secure it well to contain the animal while you transport it.
    • At home: Put the contained animal in it in a warm, quiet, dark room or
    • In the car: Put the contained animal in it in the most stable and secure position in the vehicle.
  • Do not give food or water.
  • Do not delay taking to the vet.

Wildlife rescue

Injured wildlife can be taken directly to a local vet or will be collected by a wildlife rescuer.

Volunteers from wildlife organisations are specially trained to rescue and rehabilitate injured native animals and have specialists who advise them.

Injured wildlife, once rehabilitated, are returned to the same area so take note of the location where you rescued the animal.

It is against the law to keep native animals taken from the wild.

Becoming a wildlife volunteer

If you would like to volunteer as an animal rescuer, carer or give time or money to a wildlife rescue organisation visit these web pages for information:

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