Wildlife Rehabilitation: When and How to Help Injured Animals

Wildlife rehabilitation provides veterinary care and support to injured, orphaned, or diseased wild animals with the goal of returning them to the wild or providing sanctuary care.

Key Facts

Licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the US care for over a million animals annually
Most wildlife casualties brought to humans are caused by cats, vehicle strikes, and window collisions
Survival rates after rehabilitation vary widely by species and injury type
Inappropriate home care of wildlife before reaching a rehabilitator can cause significant harm
Zoonotic disease risk means handling wildlife requires precautions to protect human health
Some species cannot be released after rehabilitation and require permanent sanctuary placement

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife rehabilitation addresses individual animal suffering while also serving conservation outcomes. The decision to rehabilitate must balance the animal's welfare - including the stress of captivity and handling - against the prospect of recovery and successful release. For species with high release success rates and treatable injuries, rehabilitation clearly reduces suffering. For others, honest assessment of prognosis and willingness to pursue humane euthanasia when appropriate is part of good rehabilitative welfare practice.

What You Can Do

Learn the contact information for local wildlife rehabilitators before you need it
If you find an injured animal, contain it in a dark, quiet space and call a rehabilitator before intervening
Donate to your local wildlife rehabilitation center - they are typically nonprofit and resource-limited
Keep cats indoors to reduce the most common source of songbird and small mammal casualties