Association to
Rescue
Kritters

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Helping Injured Adult Animals

Extra caution is required when helping an adult animal because they are usually better able than babies to cause injury through bites, kicks, and scratches. It is natural for a frightened or hurt wild animal to lash out to protect itself. 

GENERAL RULES TO FOLLOW:

An injured adult animal is going to be either (1) very frightened, (2) in shock, or (3) unconscious. Do not assume that an unconscious animal will remain unconscious for the trip to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center. Place the animal in a sealed box (with holes for ventilation) before bringing it in. An animal in shock is generally very docile; gently place a thick blanket or towel over the animal, place it in a sealed box (with ventilation), and bring it in. An alert injured animal will likely try to attack you if you approach it. As a general rule, animals quiet down considerably if a blanket or heavy towel is placed (or thrown) over them. Always wear gloves, and hold the animal securely until you can place it in an appropriate box.

With mammals, watch out for feet and teeth. Wrap legs tightly against the body and keep the face away from yours. With large birds, such as owls, hawks, and geese, watch for beaks and feet. You'll want to hold them with their face away from yours and with their wings tight against their sides. Animals move quickly -- be careful!

A severely injured animal that is not moving may be simply wrapped in the heavy blanket or towel and taken to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center. As is true with injured humans, though, move the injured animal as little as possible. Remember, if the animal is alert it is extremely frightened. The shock of an injury compounded by being handled by humans in enough to kill some animals. Handle the animal as little as possible, do not feed it, and keep it quiet. Keep its head covered, if possible, to minimize its fright. Turn the radio off in the car and keep small children quiet and away from the animal during transport.

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, call The Association to Rescue Kritters before attempting a rescue on your own.