Help! I Found an Animal!
Call Palouse Wildlife at: 208-614-CARE (2273)
We are happy to assist you in determining the best way to provide help for an animal!
Interacting with Wildlife in Need
1. Be safe! Distressed animals are often in "fight or flight" mode—if they cannot escape you, they may become aggressive. You will not be able to be a good advocate for the animal if you become injured.
2. Baby animals: Many baby animals (especially birds, bunnies, and fawns) are unintentionally "kidnapped" by well-meaning people who happen to have found the baby while the parent was temporarily away. Follow the links below for detailed information on what to do if you find:
3. Warm, quiet, dim: If you determine that a wild animal is in need of your assistance, place it in a warm, quiet, dimly lit container. Stress is the #1 killer of captive wildlife, so doing this will give you the best chance of keeping the animal safe and calm until you can get it professional care.
4. Water? If the animal is an adult, you can provide a dish of water for it to drink from. For baby animals, please do not give them anything to drink until you have consulted with a wildlife rehabber! Never force any animal (adult or baby) to drink—you could accidentally aspirate (drown) it.
5. Food? You will have to fight your natural nuturing instincts on this one. Please, never never feed an injured/orphaned/distressed wild animal. When wild animals are in distress, they go into survival mode, and their bodies will effectively "turn off" their stomach & intestinal tract. Feeding an animal in this state will kill it. Get the animal to a wildlife rehabber; they will be able to follow a diet protocol to "turn on" the animal's gastrointestinal tract again. It is imperative that you not feed any injured, orphaned, or distressed wild animal.