TreeHouse Wildlife Center
Rescue
What should you do if you encounter a wild animal?
First, assess the situation. Just because an animal is alone does not mean that it needs help. Young wildlife are often left on their own for several hours a day while their mothers forage for food. In other instances it may be obvious that a young animal has been injured, or that a young animal has been orphaned (as in the case where a dead mother is found nearby).
The best thing to do is to call Treehouse (618-372-8092) and discuss the situation with staff who are trained how to respond to various situations. If Treehouse feels that it is necessary to intervene, you will be instructed as to what to do with the animal, how to handle it if it needs to be removed from a potentially dangerous situation, and how to arrange for the animal's transport to the center for treatment.
Here are some of the causes and circumstances that bring wild animals to Treehouse:
- hit by car
- illegally shot
- poisoning
- illegally trapped
- collision with powerline
- collision with windows
- contact with barbed wire fence
- oil spills
- entanglement with fishing line, plastic soda pop can rings, kite string, etc.
- displacement by construction
- caught by cat or dog
- loss of habitat from storms and other natural disasters
- starvation due to loss of habitat