INJURED
WILDLIFE

What do do if you find injured wildlife...

If you have a wildlife casualty and can't reach us on the phone, please just bring it down to Knoxwood between 8am & 6.30pm 7 days a week (winter hours)

We ARE UNABLE TO DO CALLOUTS - you just have to get it to us, we will do the rest.

Is it really injured?

LEAVE IT ALONE:

Baby deer alone, with no parents in a field, sat like a cat in "loaf" position?

This is totally normal. DO NOT touch or move them, just walk away.

LEAVE IT ALONE:

Baby hare alone in a field, no parents present, sat like a cat in "loaf" position.

This is totally normal. DO NOT touch or move them, just walk away. If you aren't sure if it is a hare or a rabbit - see our blog post here

LEAVE IT ALONE:

Baby bird, with most of it's feathers waiting for mum in the garden.

This is totally normal. DO NOT touch or move them, just walk away.

Yes, it's injured and needs help.

Any wildlife displaying visible injuries, bleeding, suspected broken or dragging limbs or wings, covered in flies, maggots or dozens of ticks, injuries caused by cat or dog , road injuries, vomiting, drooling, fitting, shaking, weaving around like it is drunk, laid out on it's side or back NEEDS HELP.

What to do: Contact your nearest wildlife sanctuary or vet surgery. If that is us, then you can just bring it down to us between 8am and 6.30pm. (winter hours)

Quick guide by species.

It can be hard to know when to support wildlife, so we’ve prepared a simple guide to help you know when to step in. If an animal requires support, please deliver them to our wildlife sanctuary at Knoxwood, Thornby Moor, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 0LA between 8am and 6.30pm (winter hours) - please ring the bell, and a member of staff will be right with you. Due to limited resources, we are unable to do call outs.

When handling wildlife, please wear gloves to avoid bites and infection. Please do not give any medication to wildlife without consulting a vet or animal welfare professional.

Birds

There are obvious wounds or bleeding
If it has been caught by a cat or dog
It does not move when you approach
It cannot hold its head up

Bats

There are obvious wounds or bleeding
If it has been caught by a cat or dog
It does not move when you approach

Deer

Baby deer are often left by their mother’s in the woodland - if you find a baby deer in the woods, it is likely the mother is nearby foraging. Please leave them where they are if they are uninjured.
It does not move when you approach
It has obvious wounds

Swans

It is on the roadside
It is in an unusual location, such as a roadside
It cannot stand up

Otters

There are obvious wounds or bleeding
It doesn’t move when approached by someone
Is panting heavily
It is not reacting to noise
It is on the roadside

Watch from a distance; don’t try to stop it moving as this can cause unnecessary stress and further injury.

If you see an otter cub on its own, watch it from a distance first. If the cub has their eyes closed, then they’re too young to be above ground

Hedgehogs

There are obvious wounds or bleeding
It is uninterested in the food you’ve put out
It appears confused and lethargic
You can see flies, maggots, or ticks on the hedgehog
The hedgehog does not try to roll up when you approach or touch it

Rabbits

Swollen eyes, lips, nose, ears
It has obvious wounds or is bleeding
It has flies eggs
It has closed eyes or is not covered in fur - this will be a baby rabbit, please check for other babies nearby
A mother rabbit is dead nearby - a mother rabbit will have bald patches on her chest where the babies feed.

If you are still unsure, monitor the animal from a distance. If it is a baby, and the mother hasn’t returned within two hours, they will require rescuing.

Squirrels