Wildlife Rehabilitation Standards and Release

Wildlife rehabilitation aims to return injured and orphaned animals to the wild. High welfare standards during rehabilitation and rigorous release criteria maximise success and minimise suffering.

Key Facts

UK wildlife rehabilitation centres treat over 100,000 animals annually
Release criteria should include: correct weight, full flight/mobility, natural behaviour and fear of humans
Imprinted animals that cannot be released face lifetime captivity with significant welfare implications
Hedgehog, swift and juvenile birds are the most commonly admitted species in the UK
Survival rates post-release vary widely: 60-80% for well-conditioned raptors but lower for other species

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife rehabilitation exists to reduce suffering and restore animals to wild populations. The welfare of individual animals in care requires minimising human contact to preserve natural behaviour, providing species-appropriate diet and environment, and making honest release decisions. Animals that cannot be released due to injury, imprinting or habituation must be assessed honestly - lifetime captivity in a rehabilitation facility causes chronic stress in most wild species. Euthanasia is sometimes the highest welfare decision, and rehabilitators must be supported to make this choice without guilt.

What You Can Do

Support BWRC-registered wildlife rehabilitation centres in your area financially
Provide appropriate initial care for found wildlife before transport: warmth, darkness, quiet
Never feed found wildlife inappropriate food - call a rehabilitator first
Donate to British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council training and standards development
Advocate for protected area status for key wildlife habitat to reduce rehabilitation admissions