Wildlife rehabilitation saves thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals annually, but release success rates and long-term welfare outcomes vary considerably by species and circumstance.
Wildlife rehabilitation welfare requires balancing the welfare of the individual animal during care against long-term welfare prospects after release. Prolonged captivity with excessive human contact, while well-intentioned, can reduce survival prospects by altering the animal's fear responses. Minimising human contact during rehabilitation — using puppets with young birds of prey, separating different species groups, using one-way glass for observation — improves release outcomes. The decision to pursue rehabilitation versus euthanasia requires honest assessment of release prognosis. A well-run rehabilitation centre that achieves good release success provides genuine welfare benefit; one that prolongs suffering without realistic release prospects does not.