Found a wild animal that needs help?
We operate a 24/7 EMERGENCY phone line
Please call us immediately.
While you wait, please review the info on this page to see what else you can do. Remember, wild animals are protected by law and can present risk of injury or disease.
Please do not drop off injured wildlife at our location without first contacting us! Please do not use email or Facebook messages to send wildlife emergency information!
An animal may need help if…
… there are obvious signs of injury (blood, wounds, limp, entanglement)
… they have been hit by a car, flown into a window or been caught by a pet
… they seem sleepy or unresponsive
… they seem dizzy or disoriented
… they are a baby and have been crying for a long time, have bugs on them or are cold and not moving much
How to safely capture, contain & transport injured wildlife
You may be the best person to capture, contain and/or transport the injured wild animal to us. Review our how-to information for some mission-critical tips.
How to tell when a baby wild animal really needs human help
Make sure that a baby animal is truly orphaned before intervening! Learn the signs that a baby nestling, fledgling, fawn or seal pup is in trouble and needs human help.
What happens after an injured animal gets to PROWLS?
We locally treat all the animals we can. Those we can’t yet rehabilitate here are transferred to a partner organization best equipped for their care and recovery.
How to safely capture, contain and transport injured wildlife
How you handle an injured wild animal before getting it to PROWLS can make a real difference in its chance for survival and recovery. It is important to make a good plan for capture, as any extra stress on the animal can have a big impact on its health.
Now that you’ve made the call to us, if there is any doubt in your mind about your ability to safely capture a wild animal, it is time to wait for the pros at PROWLS to respond.
Safety first
Assess the area for any risks or hazards, and gather some basic supplies and PPEs to protect yourself and the animal: Gloves, a net, some towels and a box can be very helpful!
Cover and wrap
Approach the animal slowly and calmly. Use a blanket, towel or jacket to cover and wrap it so you can contain it. This protects you and calms the animal.
Contain in a box or carrier
Place the wrapped animal in a sturdy box with air holes and a secure lid. Take out the towel before closing the lid so the animal doesn’t get too hot or smothered. If the animal is a bird and can’t stand up, you can create a towel “doughnut” to support them. If transporting, make sure the box is secure in your vehicle.
Warm and dry
If the animal is cold, wet, or is a baby, you can tuck a heating pad set to ‘LOW’ under half of the box to keep it warm. You can also use a water bottle with warm tap water wrapped in towels. Closely monitor heat sources – too hot is as dangerous as too cold.
Dark, quiet & low key
Keep the contained animal in a dark and quiet place away from pets. Keep your contact with wildlife to a minimum to reduce stress.
Don’t risk injury
Don’t neglect taking all possible steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from the injury and disease that could arise from an unskilled capture gone wrong. Protect your skin and eyes if working near beaks, talons, claws or teeth.
Don’t move baby animals unless you’re sure they need human help
Make sure that a baby animal is truly orphaned before intervening – often their parent is foraging for food or just out of sight.
Don’t handle the animal unnecessarily
Human contact can be extremely stressful for the animal. Do not pet or cuddle the animal or allow your children to do so. Wild animals are unable to receive comfort from us in the same way domestic animals can.
Don’t offer food or water
Do not give the animal anything to eat or drink – this can cause serious complications and even death for wild animals.
Don’t put the animal in an unmonitored or enclosed space
Do not place the box in your vehicle’s trunk, or leave it unmonitored in a vehicle with the windows closed. It is important that the animal has fresh air to breathe.
Double-check before you intervene with baby wildlife!
Many baby wild animals are mistakenly taken from their families each year by well-meaning folks.
It’s important to make sure that a baby animal is truly orphaned before intervening. Often their parent is foraging for food or just out of sight, ready to return to their baby as soon as the human danger is gone. If you are unsure, call us!
Nestlings
Baby birds are born totally naked with their eyes closed and a few funky pinfeathers sticking out in all directions. They are pretty helpless! Their parents take good care of them, and spend all day long feeding and protecting them.
What condition is the nestling in?
Nestlings should feel fairly warm, unless they have been out of the nest for some time. If the baby bird looks injured or feels cold to touch, place it in a small box with air holes and lined with a soft towel, and contact PROWLS. It is important it receives care soon, as nestlings must be fed a special diet frequently through the day to survive.
Can you find and reach the nest?
Your very first step once you have assessed the condition of the nestling is to search the immediate area for the nest. You can use your eyes, but your ears are a big help too! Listen for other hungry nestlings to help your locate it.
Yes! I found the nest. I can reach it, and it’s in good shape.
You can simply place the nestling back in with the others — no need to worry about your scent.
Yes! I found the nest. It has fallen and is damaged
If you are able to get the nest back into a safe spot in the tree, you can fix it up a little before replacing it. Find a container (berries, yogourt, etc) that is the same size as the nest. Poke some drainage holes in the bottom and place the nest inside with the baby birds. You can attach some wire to make sure the nest stays in place.
Put the spiffed up nest and nestlings back up in the tree in a spot that seems well protected from the elements. Observe at a considerable distance to make sure the parents return and can find the babies — it shouldn’t be long!
No, I can’t find the nest OR I can’t get the nest back in the tree
Birds are very crafty when making a home for their young, and will build their nests in all sorts of hard-to-see and hard-to-reach places. These nestlings need help! Place the nestling(s) place it in a small box with air holes and lined with a soft towel, and contact PROWLS. It is important nestlings receive care quickly, as they must be kept warm and be fed a super special diet frequently through the day to survive.
Fledglings
Fledglings are older baby birds with feathers, that have left the nest but are still being fed and cared for by their parents while they learn to fly. It is completely normal for them to hop around on the ground and be unable to fly, sometimes for over a week!
In most cases, you can leave fledglings alone unless they have been injured or attacked by a cat or dog.
What condition is the fledgling in?
If the fledgling is injured or in immediate danger, or if you are sure the animal has been orphaned, it is time to get in touch with PROWLS.
Fawns
When baby deer are born, they are about the size of a cat, and will be unable to follow their mothers for the first two weeks of life. Mother deer will tuck their fawns in, usually in a safe place concealed by vegetation, and spend the day foraging, only returning a few times to nurse. It is normal for a fawn to be left alone to quietly wait.
A doe will not return to her fawn if she perceives threats nearby, so the best way to reunite them is to leave the area! Remember, always keep pets away from wildlife.
Do not touch or move a fawn
The fawn is protected from predators by its lack of scent. This is one reason it is very important to not get your scent on the fawn. If you have already touched the fawn, take a towel, rub it on the grass and then rub it on the fawn to remove your scent. If you have moved it, return it to the spot you found it, unless the area is unsafe. If it is very close to a road, you may move it to the side, using a towel or jacket to avoid getting your scent on it.
What condition is the fawn in?
Bleeding, broken limb, following you, dead adult nearby, laying on its side, wandering and crying. Contact PROWLS.
Is the fawn in good condition, but you suspect it may be orphaned?
If (uninjured, not in distress) you think the fawn has been orphaned, return the next day to check on it. If it is in the exact same spot and crying out or attempting to follow you, its mother may not have returned. Contact PROWLS for your next steps.
Seal pups
Seal pups are nursed and protected by their mothers for 4-6 weeks. During that time, mothers will leave their pups on shore for many hours at a time while they are off hunting.
The pup’s mother will not return if she perceives threats nearby, so the best way to reunite them is to leave the area!
It is perfectly normal for a seal pup to be hanging out on land for extended periods — seals spend 30-40% of their time ashore!
Do not approach or move the pup
It causes stress, bite, frighten adult seal and lead to abandoning pup. Do not coax the pup or try to push the pup into the water
What condition is the seal in?
Observe from a distance. Visible injuries? Breathing? Responding to surroundings? Plump (solidly round) or thin (long and skinny)? Vocalizing? Other seals in area? If the pup has obvious injuries or appears emaciated (it should look really plump) contact PROWLS. Do not attempt to feed it.
Do you suspect the seal pup is orphaned?
If a pup is found, it may need monitoring before rescue is undertaken. The monitoring should be done from a distance to encourage the mother to return to her pup. Contact PROWLS, and we can activate a special plan for marine mammals. Do not move the seal pup.
Remember, it is illegal to keep wildlife without a permit. Do not attempt to care for orphaned wild animals yourself. An animal’s best chance for success is to be professionally cared for by your local wildlife rehabilitation centre.
Contact PROWLS if you have found any injured or orphaned wildlife that needs care.
Wildlife Tips
