Wildlife rehabilitation involves caring for injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals with the goal of release. The welfare of animals during rehabilitation requires specialized knowledge and ethical decision-making.
Wildlife rehabilitation sits at a complex intersection of individual animal welfare and conservation. Wild animals are fundamentally different from domestic animals in their response to human contact - even well-intentioned handling causes significant stress. The welfare obligation in rehabilitation requires minimizing human contact while providing necessary care, making difficult decisions about when rehabilitation is genuinely in the animal's interest versus prolonging suffering, and ensuring released animals can survive independently. Poorly managed rehabilitation can cause more harm than good. Excellent rehabilitation centers balance compassion with rigorous assessment of welfare and release prospects.