Wildlife
We are happy to treat wildlife casualties for free. (If treatment costs are likely to be significant, we might ask for a contribution to the costs of drugs and materials. This would be rare.) However before bringing a wild creature to us, please consider the situation very carefully. Wild animals and birds are adapted to life in the wild and do not always readily adjust to being held in captivity. Well intentioned interference sometimes reduces a creatures chances of survival. It can be best to let nature take its course, harsh though that can be. However it is often possible to help injured animals and birds, releasing them back to the wild soon after. Generally speaking it is appropriate to bring to us animals or birds which are obviously injured or ill. Young animals which appear lost but healthy, are usually much better off left alone.
The majority of wild creatures brought to us are in fact baby garden birds which have just left the nest. A typical situation might be as follows: A baby bird leaves its nest (intentionally) for the first time. It then finds somewhere to sit and looks lost and bewildered while emitting plaintive "cheeps" periodically. A kind person walks up to it, sees that it is at great danger from cats and other predators, and puts in a box. It is easy to pick up because it has not yet learned to recognise danger and fly off. It is then brought to us to "treat". The fact is that it had probably been sitting quite happily waiting for its parents to come and feed it. They might well have been hiding nearby, perhaps calling to the baby, but were kept at bay by the humans in the way. It could have spent the next few days or weeks following its parents around, learning where to get food, water and shelter, and all the time being "topped up" with food by the parents. This learning process can be very important and without it many birds have no hope of survival in the wild. So the baby bird taken to the vets can indeed be fed and cared for. It is quite possible to keep such birds for a while until they are strong and vigorous. But then just to release them might be condemning them to death from starvation or exposure. They might not be able to find and recognise food in a natural way, or an appropriate place to roost. That little bird sitting all forlorn in the open might well have stood a better chance left where it was. In such a situation we would recommend that if possible cats and dogs are kept indoors, and the bird left alone. If you feel that it should be moved, then take it to a nearby bush or hedge and leave it there. Parent birds are very good at finding their young. It is a process that has been going on for thousands of years without our help!
However we do receive many wildlife casualties which need veterinary care. These might for example be sick hedgehogs, birds with broken wings, or animals found by the side of the road. We will do our best to help any individual creature in an appropriate way. However we are not able to provide long-term care ourselves, so an appropriate rescue home might need to be found, and transport arranged after treatment.
We are happy to treat wildlife casualties for free. (If treatment costs are likely to be significant, we might ask for a contribution to the costs of drugs and materials. This would be rare.) However before bringing a wild creature to us, please consider the situation very carefully. Wild animals and birds are adapted to life in the wild and do not always readily adjust to being held in captivity. Well intentioned interference sometimes reduces a creatures chances of survival. It can be best to let nature take its course, harsh though that can be. However it is often possible to help injured animals and birds, releasing them back to the wild soon after. Generally speaking it is appropriate to bring to us animals or birds which are obviously injured or ill. Young animals which appear lost but healthy, are usually much better off left alone.
The majority of wild creatures brought to us are in fact baby garden birds which have just left the nest. A typical situation might be as follows: A baby bird leaves its nest (intentionally) for the first time. It then finds somewhere to sit and looks lost and bewildered while emitting plaintive "cheeps" periodically. A kind person walks up to it, sees that it is at great danger from cats and other predators, and puts in a box. It is easy to pick up because it has not yet learned to recognise danger and fly off. It is then brought to us to "treat". The fact is that it had probably been sitting quite happily waiting for its parents to come and feed it. They might well have been hiding nearby, perhaps calling to the baby, but were kept at bay by the humans in the way. It could have spent the next few days or weeks following its parents around, learning where to get food, water and shelter, and all the time being "topped up" with food by the parents. This learning process can be very important and without it many birds have no hope of survival in the wild. So the baby bird taken to the vets can indeed be fed and cared for. It is quite possible to keep such birds for a while until they are strong and vigorous. But then just to release them might be condemning them to death from starvation or exposure. They might not be able to find and recognise food in a natural way, or an appropriate place to roost. That little bird sitting all forlorn in the open might well have stood a better chance left where it was. In such a situation we would recommend that if possible cats and dogs are kept indoors, and the bird left alone. If you feel that it should be moved, then take it to a nearby bush or hedge and leave it there. Parent birds are very good at finding their young. It is a process that has been going on for thousands of years without our help!
However we do receive many wildlife casualties which need veterinary care. These might for example be sick hedgehogs, birds with broken wings, or animals found by the side of the road. We will do our best to help any individual creature in an appropriate way. However we are not able to provide long-term care ourselves, so an appropriate rescue home might need to be found, and transport arranged after treatment.