What to Do When You Encounter Injured Wildlife

There will be times when you will encounter injured wildlife. You must know the necessary things to do before you try to help or move an injured animal.

You may come across injured wildlife when you live beside a wooded area or near hills,mountains or riverbanks. These animals often leave their territory to find shelter from the cold or to forage for food. They often encounter injuries through run-ins with other animals, by getting into traffic or even getting caught in inhumane forms of animal control (traps and cages that purposely injure wildlife).

Before you decide to help or move it, there are a few things that you should take note of.

Signs of Injured Wildlife

One of the most obvious signs of an injured animal is bleeding and wounds. An injured animal may have one or more of these symptoms:

• May have swollen body parts where a wound is located.
• May be covered in flies, fleas or other parasites that feed on blood
• May be lethargic
• May be cold to the touch
• May have lost a significant amount of fur or feathers
• May have dangling limbs or wings when you find them
• May be wheezing as it is lying on the street

What should you do when you encounter injured wildlife?

Animals tend to be more aggressive when they are hurt or threatened. By getting near an injured animal, you may end up hurting it or yourself. Threatened injured animals bite and scratch whoever approaches them. Trying to help a trapped animal can lead to further injuries to the animal or to you. Avoid taking injured animals home, because these animals belong in the wild and do not make good pets.

But if the injured animal you found is unaggressive, there are ways you can help alleviate some of its pain. Before you touch an injured animal be sure to wear gloves. You may never know what kinds of bacteria an injured animal may transmit to you if you use your bare hands to move the injured animal. You can also place the injured animal in a box or container so that you can take it to the nearest veterinarian. If the animal you find is seriously injured, it is best to leave it where it is and just call for help.

The best choice is always to call for help immediately. Wildlife professionals will know exactly what to do when they see an injured animal. Professionals can expertly move and treat injured animals on the spot without risking its life or spreading any disease that the animal may have. Professional animal control experts know what kind of gear to wear to move or treat injured animals. With the help of trained animal experts, the injured animal you found will have a greater chance of being returned to the wild.

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Common Entry Points for Small Wildlife

While furry, four-footed creatures may seem like cute, harmless animals, the damage they can wreak on your home belies their seemingly wholesome nature. Knowing their common entry points and taking measures to properly seal and secure them can prevent a world of stress and potential health hazards. Here are a few places in your home you should monitor and protect.

Areas in which different material comes together like window wells, dryer exhaust vents, and water damaged fascia. Animals like bats, rats, mice, and squirrels often gain entry through these points.

Attic gable vents are also prime points of entry. Always check your attic to see if there are any animal droppings. Turn off attic lights to see if there’s any outside light leaking in. Those could turn out to be where the wildlife is coming through. Other vulnerable areas are loose vent screens, holes in the roof, chimneys, gaps in bricks or house structure.

Be sure to periodically check cables for damage. Squirrels like to chew on them and this could be a potential fire hazard. If there are any holes in or around your home that are smaller than a few inches, caulk them or stuff with copper mesh or expandable foam.

Always make sure before sealing any holes that there are no animals inside. If you’re unsure, place a cloth or paper in the suspected area and check back in a few days to see if it’s been moved. If it hasn’t, then go about properly sealing the hole with screening or the appropriate barrier.

Do note that wildlife living in your home can be a potentially dangerous situation. Even more so if it has grown into an infestation. If this is the case, it is best to call the professionals to handle it. They are trained to catch and release wildlife and protect your home from re-entry. 

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