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Wildlife Rehabilitation

What is Wildlife Rehabilitation?

Wildlife rehabilitation is the process of providing aid to injured, orphaned, displaced, or distressed animals so that they may survive and be released into their natural environment. It also involves anticipating and helping to prevent problems with wildlife as well as humanely resolving human-wildlife conflicts. The practice of wildlife rehabilitation is restricted to individuals who have the proper state and federal licenses to do so.

Contact information regarding wildlife rehabilitation

Wild In Vermont, Inc.

P.O. Box 163
Underhill Center, VT 05490
802-899-1027

National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association

2625 Clearwater Road, Suite 110
St. Cloud, MN 56301
320-230-9920
[email protected]
nwrawildlife.org

International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council

8080 Capwell Drive, Suite 240
Oakland, CA 94621
510-383-9090
[email protected]
iwrc-online.org

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How to Rescue Baby Mammals

  1. Prepare a container. Place a soft cloth on the bottom of a cardboard box or cat/dog carrier with a lid. If it doesn’t have air holes make some. For smaller animals, you can use a paper sack with air holes punched in.
  2. Protect yourself. Wear gloves, if possible. Some animals may bite or scratch to protect themselves, even if sick. Wild animals commonly have parasites (fleas, ticks, lice) and carry diseases.
  3. Cover the animal with a light sheet or towel
  4. Gently pick up the animal and put it in the prepared container.
  5. Warm the animal if it’s cold out or if the animal is chilled. Put ONE END of the container on a heating pad set on low. Or fill a zip-top plastic bag, plastic soft drink container with a screw lid, or a rubber glove with hot water; wrap warm container with cloth, and put it next to the animal. Make sure the container doesn’t leak or the animal will get wet and chilled.
  6. Tape the box shut or roll the top of the paper bag closed.
  7. Note exactly where you found the animal. This will be very important for release.
  8. Keep the animal in a warm, dark, quiet place. Don’t give it food or water. Leave it alone; don’t handle it or bother it. Keep children and pets away.
  9. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator, state wildlife agency, or wildlife veterinarian as soon as possible. Don’t keep the animal at your home longer than necessary. Keep the animal in a container; don’t let it loose in your house or car.
  10. Wash your hands after contact with the animal. Wash anything the animal was in contact with to prevent the spread of diseases and/or parasites to you or your pets
  11. Get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible.

How to Rescue Baby Birds

  1. Prepare a container. Place a soft cloth on the bottom of a cardboard box or cat/dog carrier with a lid. If it doesn’t have air holes make some. For smaller animals, you can use a paper sack with air holes punched in.
  2. Protect yourself. Wear gloves, if possible. Some birds may stab with their beaks, slice with their talons (claws) and slap with their wings to protect themselves, even if sick. Birds commonly have parasites (fleas, ticks, lice) and carry diseases.
  3. Cover the bird with a light sheet or towel
  4. Gently pick up the bird and put it in the prepared container.
  5. Warm the animal if it’s cold out or if the animal is chilled. Put ONE END of the container on a heating pad set on low. Or fill a zip-top plastic bag, plastic soft drink container with a screw lid, or a rubber glove with hot water; wrap warm container with cloth, and put it next to the animal. Make sure the container doesn’t leak or the bird will get wet and chilled.
  6. Tape the box shut or roll the top of the paper bag closed.
  7. Note exactly where you found the bird. This will be very important for release.
  8. Keep the bird in a warm, dark, quiet place. Don’t give it food or water. Leave it alone; don’t handle it or bother it. Keep children and pets away.
  9. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator, state wildlife agency, or wildlife veterinarian as soon as possble. Don’t keep the bird at your home longer than necessary. Keep the bird in a container; don’t let it loose in your house or car.
  10. Wash your hands after contact with the bird. Wash anything the bird was in contact with to prevent the spread of diseases and/or parasites to you or your pets
  11. Get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible.

FROM HEALERS OF THE WILD; PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR INJURED AND ORPHANED WILDLIFE BY SHANNON K. JACOBS EMAIL [email protected]

Rehabilitators List

Candace Brueck

86 Tyler Bridge Road
Hinesburg, VT 05461
802-482-6032
802-734-1331
Juvenile Squirrels

Nancy Carey

Pine Haven Refuge
P.O. Box 163
Underhill Center, VT 05490
802-899-1027
802-343-5064
[email protected]
Small mammals including rabies vector species; raccoons, skunks, foxes, woodchucks

Evelenne Cecchini & Craig Newman

Outreach for Earth Stewardship
1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT 05482
802-985-5706/802-899-3667
802-324-4111
director@ ofes.org or [email protected]

Ellen Jarecki

77 Wind Ridge
Shelburne, VT 05482
802-985-5719
Specializing in baby Songbirds tiny mammals, opossums

JoAnn Nichols

67 Lafountain Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-651-6863
802-999-5360
[email protected]
small mammals, reptile, iguana rescue

Helena Nicolay

96 Charlotte Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-864-4311
small mammals, songbirds, doves, waterfowl

Audrey Von Lepel

P.O. Box 297
Fairfax, VT 05454
802-849-6937
special interest in porcupines small mammals, songbirds

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Other Contacts:

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
Agency of Natural Resources
103 South Main Street 10 South Waterbury, VT 05671
802-421-3700
802-241-3727
www.vtfishandwildlife.com

US Fish & Wildlife Service Local Federal Agent
Patrick Bosco 11 Lincoln Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-879-1859

Rabies Hotline – 1-800-4-RABIES

Vermont Department of Health
Dr. Robert Johnson 1-800-640-4374 802-863-7240

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