Just last week at the Dearborn Animal Shelter, a kind resident brought in a baby fox (also known as a kit) with an injured paw. Although they’re not our typical intake, we see our fair share of wild animals, so we’ve picked up a few tips on how to interact with them for minimal stress on the animals.
Every year, we see over 100 animals other than dogs or cats. Here are our DOs and DON’Ts for dealing with wildlife you might find in your backyard.
DO: Keep Your Distance.
Wild animals, even if they are adorable babies, are just that: wild. They should be left alone as much as possible, especially if they’re not visibly injured.
DON’T: Assume Mom is Never Coming Back.
Rabbit mothers stay away from their babies as much as possible, in order to avoid drawing attention from predators. It’s the same with many other wild animals. Just because you don’t see Mom anywhere nearby, or you haven’t seen her in hours, doesn’t mean she is gone forever. She may be hiding just out of sight, and many animals check on their nests only a couple of times a day.
DO: Wait it Out.
It may seem like that opossum is really truly dead, or those defenseless bunnies are completely abandoned, but camouflage is often Mother Nature’s best weapon. Keep watch from a distance, certainly, and try to steer kids and other animals away from the nest while remaining out of the way yourself.
DON’T: Charge in to the Rescue.
While it’s not entirely true that a mother rabbit or bird will abandon her babies if she smells humans on them, it is extremely stressful to the animals to be handled by us. We are predators, after all. If they’re not badly injured or in immediate danger, keep your kids and pets away.
DO: Make the Call if It’s Serious.
If you’ve found a wild animal that is badly injured, abandoned or in need of immediate help, find your nearest wildlife rescue organization and talk to them. Read here for more details on when to bring an animal in, how to safely handle an animal, and how to avoid additional stress to the animal—or to you!
Source: Dearborn Animal Shelter