Vet Guide 2025: What to Do (and Not Do) If You Find Orphaned or Injured Wildlife 🦝🆘

It’s springtime. You spot a baby bird fluttering on the ground, or a fawn tucked alone in tall grass. Your first instinct? To help. But as Dr Duncan Houston, I want to explain why sometimes the best way to help wild animals is to not intervene at all unless you're trained and legally permitted 🧠🌳.

🏠 Why Human-Wildlife Encounters Are Increasing

In 2025, suburban expansion continues to push into former wildlife habitats. As people build homes in rural or semi-rural areas, encounters with wild animals—especially babies—are becoming more common 🏘️🦌.

This includes:

• 🐦 Baby birds fallen from nests
• 🦊 Young foxes, raccoons, or opossums alone in yards
• 🦌 Fawns curled up in tall grass with no mother in sight

Your heart may say "rescue"—but let’s look at the facts before you act ❤️🔍.

🧠 Most "Orphaned" Animals Aren’t Orphaned

In many cases, what looks like abandonment is normal parenting in the wild:

• 🦌 Deer hide their fawns for hours while feeding nearby
• 🐦 Bird parents may feed from a distance or visit infrequently
• 🦝 Nocturnal moms often leave babies safely tucked away during the day

Approaching too soon can cause more harm than good—scaring off the parent or imprinting the baby on humans 🧍🐣.

🛑 Don’t Try to Raise Wildlife Yourself

It’s illegal and almost always ineffective. Wildlife needs specialized diets, environments, and social structures that the average person can’t replicate 🍼🌿.

Why you shouldn’t try to raise wildlife at home:

• ❌ Most wild babies die in home care
• 🧬 Improper care can cause malnutrition or deformities
• ⚠️ Wild animals may carry zoonotic diseases like rabies
• 🚫 It’s illegal in most states to keep wild animals without a license

🦠 Health Risks to Humans

Even cute baby animals can pose serious health risks. Wild animals may bite or scratch out of fear, and some carry diseases transmittable to people 🧪⚠️.

Major Concerns:

• 💉 Rabies: Especially common in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats
• 🧫 Parasites: Including ticks, fleas, and roundworms
• 🦠 Bacterial infections: Like leptospirosis or salmonella

If you are bitten, it's critical to contact local authorities. If the animal can’t be caught and tested for rabies, you’ll need post-exposure shots 💉📞.

📞 What to Do If You Find an Animal That Seems Orphaned or Injured

Always call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator first. They’re trained to handle these situations safely and legally. You can find a specialist by contacting:

• 👩‍⚕️ Your veterinarian
• 🦺 Local game warden or animal control
• 🌐 State wildlife agency

If you must act before help arrives:

• 🧤 Wear gloves when handling wildlife
• 🐣 Try to return baby birds to the nest if possible
• 📦 Place the animal in a well-ventilated box with a soft towel—keep warm and quiet
• ❌ Don’t feed the animal or give it water

📜 Why You Must Contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator

Only state-licensed wildlife rehabilitators can legally treat or care for wild animals. They are trained to:

• 💊 Administer species-specific medical care
• 🌱 Provide proper diet and housing
• 🔁 Prevent human imprinting (which can doom animals in the wild)

They also know how to evaluate whether an animal is truly orphaned, or if mom is just waiting nearby 🦊👀.

📲 Ask A Vet: Get Guidance Instantly

If you’ve found a wild baby or an injured animal and don’t know what to do, connect instantly with a licensed vet through AskAVet.com or the Ask A Vet app. We’ll help you decide the next best step, guide you to a rehabber, and keep your household safe 🧑‍⚕️📱.

✅ Final Thoughts: Compassion With Caution

Helping animals is a beautiful impulse—but when it comes to wildlife, it's critical to act with knowledge and care. In 2025, as wildlife habitats continue to shrink, more animals will need our help—but only the right kind of help 🤝🌍.

Resist the urge to intervene without guidance. Keep yourself and your family safe. And support your local wildlife rehabbers—they are the heroes of our ecosystems 🦝❤️.