If you find a wild animal that is injured and in need of medical attention you should follow these steps to ensure that you give the animal the best possible chance of surviving and making a full recovery as quickly as possible.

 

1. Get something to put the animal in where it will be safe and secure until you can get it to your local wildlife rehabilitator.  

    * A pet carrier is probably best for any kind of animal, if you have one.  If you do not have a pet carrier, then a cardboard box or bucket or something of that nature would be 2nd best.  

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2.  Make sure there are at least 2 air holes in container so that the animal does not suffocate.  (A simple towel over the top of a box or bucket is ok, the animal can still get enough oxygen without you having to attempt to put holes in the bucket or bin etc. ~If you do need to poke air holes in the container, make sure to do that BEFORE putting the animal inside the container; otherwise you risk frightening or injuring the animal even more than it already is.) 

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3.  Make sure the container is just large enough for the animal to fit inside of and not so big that the animal can flop or roll around inside of it, banging into the sides and causing further injury to itself.  

    * Also be sure to cover the top of the container so the animal doesn't try to / won't be able to jump, fly or climb out; this will also help to keep the animal more calm.

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The safest way to capture & pick up a wild animal:

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ALWAYS KEEP THE ANIMAL'S HEAD & FACE COVERED WHEN HANDLING IT!!!

 

1.  Cover the animal and pick it up inside the covering. This will put a layer between you and the animal which will make it harder for the animal to potentially injure you, while  helping to reduce the animal's stress of being captured as well. 

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2. Most importantly: MAKE SURE TO COVER THE ANIMAL'S HEAD with the covering! Use a towel, blanket, jacket, pillow case, sweatshirt, etc. to pick the animal up.

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3. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you cover the animal's eyes, face and head when you pick it up for the following reasons:

      * Once the animal cannot see you, it will be 10 times easier for you to handle the animal and get control of it safely, which means less struggling from the animal and less chance of the animal sustaining any further injuries than what it already has.

      * A stressed out animal is not a healthy animal.  Animals that are stressed out heal slower and are more prone to illness and become depressed, which can mean death for some animals.  If the animal can see you, it will be more stressed out than if it cannot see you.   

      *  The animal will be less likely, and less able, to injure you if the animal cannot see you.  This will make it easier to get the animal into a safe secure container if the animal cannot see what you are trying to put it into, which is also unnatural to the animal and it's instincts will tell it to "fight or flight" if it can see what is happening in this situation; which is dangerous and will cause more stress for both you and the animal.    

      

4. Once you have animal contained safely  KEEP THE ANIMAL WARM, DARK, AND QUIET until you are able to get it to a wildlife center, especially if it is a baby animal.  Some baby animals are not able to maintain their own body heat when they are really young and can die of hypothermia even on a warm day. 

       * Cover the container the animal is in with a towel or blanket so it cannot see you or any of its surroundings.  This will keep it more calm.

       * Make sure the animal is not in a room with a lot of commotion/noise, and especially keep young children away from the animal.

       *Animals have difficulty maintaining a healthy body temperature when they are in shock and/or stressed out, ESPECIALLY BABY ANIMALS, so keep container animal is in on a heating pad set to LOW and cover heating pad with a pillow case or small towel to prevent it from getting too hot for the animal as well.   

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5.Very important: Unless instructed to by a wildlife rehabilitator DO NOT GIVE THE ANIMAL ANY FOOD &/OR WATER! EVER!

       * If you want to give the animal the best possible chance of recovery then do NOT ever try to feed it or give it water ESPECIALLY if it is a baby.  Unless a wildlife rehabilitator specifically instructs you to do otherwise, and specifically tells you what and how and when to feed an animal and or give it water... This is the ONLY exception!