The Wild Neighbors tool from HSUS provides advice to help people deal with conflicts with wild animals (everything from mice and birds to bears) in or around their homes in a humane yet effective manner.
Advice for people who find animals that appear to be abandoned is available on this HSUS page. But, before you intervene to help a baby animal, please observe from a distance to see if the mother is nearby. For example, many does will hide their fawn(s) during foraging outings, and these infants are often safe to wait for their mother's return.
If you have found orphaned or injured wildlife in need of care, please contact our shelter at (360) 757-0445. If it is an after-hours emergency, you may call Wolf Hollow at (360) 378-5000. They will be able to give you further instructions.
Wolf Hollow is a rescue and wildlife rehabilitation center located on San Juan Island. They are committed to the rescue of injured and orphaned wildlife. Wolf Hollow offers specific guidelines on helping certain wild species here: http://wolfhollowwildlife.org/found-an-animal/
The center was founded in 1983. Staff and volunteers have cared for a wide range of injured and orphaned wild animals and returned them to their natural habitat. Most of the animals in their care come from the San Juan Islands and Skagit County. We appreciate all they do for the injured or stray wildlife that come into our shelter!
The center was founded in 1983. Staff and volunteers have cared for a wide range of injured and orphaned wild animals and returned them to their natural habitat. Most of the animals in their care come from the San Juan Islands and Skagit County. We appreciate all they do for the injured or stray wildlife that come into our shelter!
A special species: opossums
Opossums are North America's only native marsupial. They carry their babies in a pouch on their abdomen. Mother opossums that are struck and killed by cars can have living infants inside their pouch! Good instructions on how to respond when you find infants with a dead mother opossum are available here: http://www.opossum.org/orphans.htm
