The Best Way To Help A Wounded Animal

Although wild animals are meant to stay in the wild, they wander into areas where they can collide with people from time to time. They can be beautiful to view from afar, but closer encounters can become dangerous fast. So, what happens if you see an animal that appears to be wounded and clearly needs help? Approach or back off? The truth is the response may need to vary depending on the situation.

For the most part, you should view injured animals with extreme caution. Wild animals become more aggressive when wounded because they're scared and confused and may think you're trying to capitalize on their vulnerable state. They're more likely to lash out and bite or scratch you than to accept your help. A Wyoming woman, for instance, was gored by a deer right outside her door. They can also spread various diseases that could harm you and your pets.

Sick or injured animals may wander onto your property. They could be looking for shelter or in an altered state of consciousness and not understand where they are. Rabies, for instance, can cause animals to appear injured. It can be dangerous to approach animals that appear in this state, and calling a professional for help is the proper approach. The same holds true if a wild animal dies on your property. There are laws regarding the disposal of large animals.  

Another common way people encounter wild animals is because they accidentally hit one with their car. The natural response may be to want to get out of the vehicle and check on the animal. That's extremely dangerous for several reasons. First, parking your car on the side or middle of the road and wandering out into the street could lead to further car accidents. Also, animals may feel threatened as you approach and lash out, trying to defend themselves from what they perceive as an attack. Deer, for instance, are known for attacking people who hit them with their cars and get out to check on them. If the animal's presence on the road is hazardous to passing drivers, then it is appropriate to call the police.

People also find sick or injured birds or birds that have fallen from their nests. Hatchlings are baby birds that are young enough that they don't yet have feathers. Those can be treated differently from feathered birds. Nestlings might break their wings falling out of their nests, and there are ways to return them to their parents carefully, so they'll be accepted and cared for. It's still important to wash your hands after handling the creature. However, if the bird is older and has feathers, you put yourself at significant risk of exposure to disease and bacteria. Birds can spread salmonella and carry things like Cryptococcosis and Histoplasmosis. Those illnesses, and ones like Psittacosis, can spread even without touching the bird. People can pick it up from bacteria in droppings and respiratory droplets from infected animals. Young birds have naturally high death rates, which keeps their population in check; although it may be sad, if you see a hurt bird, it's best to leave it alone.

Remember, your decision on how to act if you see an injured animal shouldn't be based on instinct alone. Arkansas has laws about whether you can handle or keep certain animals. The state allows people to keep bobcats, coyotes, gray and red foxes, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, and squirrels found in the wild. If you decide to keep that animal, it's mandatory to keep it permanently unless it's a white-tailed deer. You can give the deer to a wildlife rehabilitator, who can return it to the wild. You are not allowed to keep birds captured from the wild, nor things like bats or anything else that lives in a cave, box or snapping turtles, or endangered species.

If you encounter wounded wildlife in public, you should call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or Fish and Wildlife. On private property, contact Natural State Wildlife Solutions, and we can take care of the needs of your home or business on top of removing the animal.

Overall, it is best to leave wild animals alone or leave them to the experts. Wildlife handling takes training, experience, special tools, and expertise. Natural State Wildlife Solutions professionals have those things covered, and we're right here in Northwest Arkansas. We not only fix the infestation but also take steps to ensure the incident doesn't repeat itself. Contact us today for an estimate or for more information about our services.