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Help! Animal
in distress! (quick
definition of an emergency) (what
is an animal?)
See
our HOURS for patient drop-off times
Scroll
down for specific info on orphaned
babies and injured animals
The
Hospital receives numerous inquiries each day from people who have
found baby birds or other animals that seem to need help. In order
to decide just what sort of help is appropriate, it is important
to understand both the situation and the realities of intervention.
Most
babies should be left alone, for many good
reasons. On the other hand, truly sick
or injured animals may benefit greatly from your help - and from
ours! Our Hospital has treated more than 40,000 wild animal patients
since it was founded.
However,
certain situations are simply not conducive to intervention. For instance,
Sandhill Cranes are notorious for leg injuries. But cranes with broken
legs typically can still fly; thus capture is virtually impossible.
Additionally, treatment for leg fractures is only successful immediately
after the initial injury. After only a couple of days, tissue damage
is so great that it cannot be repaired. On the fortunate side, we know
of many cranes with leg impairments who are living successful lives
without treatment.
Similarly,
on a purely practical level, we are unable to help the pelican wearing
fish hooks that is swimming in the ocean, or the raccoon who ran into
the bushes after being hit by a car. It is simply impossible to locate
or capture certain animals.
Also,
many normal behaviors are misunderstood as indications of a problem.
For instance, the Wood Stork's common resting posture is often a terrific
imitation of a crippled bird! Herons, hawks, owls, and ospreys will
often sit in one place for hours at a time, even on the ground. This
does not indicate distress.
Perhaps
the quickest way to decide if a problem truly exists is to walk up
to the animal. If it runs or flies away in a normal manner, you may
assume that there was no significant problem. If instead the animal
allows you to drop a towel or box over it, then you have accomplished
a necessary rescue!
Call
us and we will walk you through an analysis of the situation.
If necessary we will suggest means of capture, confinement, and transportation.
And if you are too far away to bring the animal here, we will help
you locate
a rehabilitator in your state or area.
Injured animals
- more detailed info here <|> Babies
- more detailed info here
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