Wildlife rehabilitation centres care for injured, orphaned, and sick wild animals with the goal of releasing them back to their natural environment. Welfare standards in rehabilitation vary widely.
Wildlife rehabilitation is a direct welfare intervention that prevents suffering in individual animals. However, quality of care varies enormously: facilities with inadequate space, isolation, or inappropriate housing cause secondary welfare harms. Animals kept too long or imprinted on humans fail to thrive post-release. Best-practice rehabilitation minimises human contact, provides species-appropriate diet and environment, and maintains realistic release criteria. Welfare-positive rehabilitation requires training, resources, and clear outcome monitoring.