Wildlife Rehabilitation for Mammals

Best practices in wildlife rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wild mammals to maximize welfare and successful release.

Key Facts

Thousands of wildlife rehabilitation centers across North America and Europe treat hundreds of thousands of animals annually
Successful release rates depend heavily on minimizing human imprinting during rehabilitation
Pain management is a critical and sometimes neglected component of wildlife rehabilitation welfare
Species-appropriate social housing during rehabilitation improves post-release survival
Humane euthanasia criteria for non-releasable animals are an important welfare consideration

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife rehabilitation welfare requires balancing the goal of successful release with immediate welfare needs including pain management, species-appropriate social contact, and minimizing human imprinting. Many rehabilitated animals experience significant suffering from injuries that is inadequately managed due to resource constraints or reluctance to use anesthesia. Best-practice facilities use validated pain assessment, appropriate analgesia, species-matched social housing, and clear quality of life criteria for euthanasia decisions when release is not possible.

What You Can Do

Support your local wildlife rehabilitation center through volunteering or donation
Know who to contact in your area if you find an injured wild animal
Leave juvenile animals in place unless confirmed to be orphaned or injured
Advocate for training and funding standards for wildlife rehabilitators