I Found a Baby Animal, Now What?

WHEN TO BRING AN ANIMAL TO US

How do you know if an animal needs help? If it’s apparent that an animal is struggling for survival because it is visibly injured, ill, or has been orphaned, then the animal is in need of help and should be safely brought to our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Wildlife in need are typically brought to our Center by good samaritans because our team does not have the resources to pick-up injured, ill, or orphaned wildlife. Here are some helpful tips to determine if an animal is in trouble and should be brought to our Center or your local rehabber:

  • Does Baby feel cold and lethargic?

  • Is Baby covered with parasites (fleas, fly strike or ticks)?

  • Has Baby been in a dog or cat’s mouth?

  • Does Baby have a broken limb or other obvious injury?

  • Does Baby have abrasions?

  • Is Baby having difficulty breathing (gasping, gurgling)?

  • Is Baby’s coat matted and/or patchy?

  • Does Baby have a head tilt and cannot hold its head straight?

  • Is Baby exhibiting odd behavior (circling, falling over, etc.)?

  • Is Baby bleeding?

  • Did you find what you believe to be Mom dead?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, reuniting babies with Mom is no longer an option and the baby needs to get to a rehabber immediately.

When Rehabilitation is Necessary 

Humane Indiana Wildlife Center appreciates our good samaritan efforts to rescue and bring wildlife to our doors for help. Before you bring an animal to our Wildlife Center:

  • Give us a call to make sure a team member is on site to receive the animal 219.299.8027.

  • Upon entering the rehabilitation center, rescuers are asked to complete our intake paperwork, which contains a few brief questions such as your address and phone number, how long you have had the animal, the animal’s rescue locations, if/what you have fed the animal. This information is then used to help us complete our permit paperwork, issued to us through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 

  • Once the intake paperwork is completed, our rescuers/good samaritans are free to leave. 

  • At no time is there a fee for dropping off injured/orphaned wildlife to the rehabilitation center. 

WILDLIFE WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING

Humane Indiana Wildlife Center cares about the welfare of all wildlife. Some species, not native to our region are considered invasive to our natural environment, others, we simply do not have the space nor resources to bring them into our center. As a result, at this time we are not accepting:

  1. Deer

  2. Raccoons

  3. Mute Swans

  4. House Sparrows

  5. Rock Pigeons

  6. European Starlings

However, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has provided a list of statewide agencies that offer assistance with various wildlife.