What is wildlife rehabilitation?
Wildlife rehabilitation is providing food, shelter and where necessary, medical assistance for wild animals that have been injured or orphaned, conditioning animals as they grow or recover to ensure their survival, and releasing the animals in environments where they have a good chance to survive. It also includes researching the natural history of animals to provide for their comfort while in captivity, and sharing that information with interested people to reduce negative encounters and enhance appreciation of the wonders that surround us.

Can you help the animal yourself?

Providing an adequate diet for wildlife is critical because their development or recovery depends on the nutrition we provide. Specially created formulas are available and specific to each species in rehab. Adult animals provide a special challenge as they will not normally eat food prepared for them, and so food that resembles their natural diet must be prepared.

Special caging may be required for some species. Small mammals often can chew out of plastic carriers or cages and some animals can squeeze through or injure themselves in cages designed for domestic pets.

Veterinary care can be expensive since most adult animals have injuries that require medications or surgeries. These animals are intended to be released, and therefore their care must be sufficient to allow the animal to recover enough to survive in the wild. They must have good eyesight, hearing and total function of their limbs. Although some veterinarians donate a part of the fees, many must charge for medications, x-rays and surgical supplies. You must be prepared to pay to save an animal's life. There is no funding available to wildlife rehabilitators other than private donations or their own funds. No government funds are available for this work.

Wild animals do not tolerate the stress of handling or human contact. You must be prepared to isolate an area of your home separate from your family activities. The animals must be fed a proper diet and where possible, exposed to the sounds and temperatures of their natural environment. Large outdoor (and indoor) cages that allow the animals safety from predators, yet expose them to the environment prior to their release, must be available for conditioning. These cages also allow observation of the behavior and function of the animal to assess whether the animal has recovered sufficiently to be released.

Animals must be afraid of humans prior to release, so contact with them ends once they are old enough to feed on their own. Adult recovering animals can die from the stress of human contact and orphans raised by humans must not trust humans when they are released. Domestication takes thousands of years and has only been successful with dogs, cats and livestock. Wild animals, although they may be tamed, are not predictable, can become dangerous and should not be raised as pets.

The busy season for wildlife rehabilitation is between March and October when people are most likely to be outside. Those are also the months when animals are more active and likely to get into trouble. Many people also choose to vacation during this time, but most wildlife rehabilitators cannot take a vacation. The commitment of time and energy is a requirement that cannot be ignored. Baby songbirds must be fed every half hour from dawn to dusk. Many baby mammals require feedings around the clock - some as often as every 2-3 hours.

If you think you are still interested in raising that orphan, or caring for that injured animal, contact the DNR at 217-782-6431(Illinois residents) and apply for a permit. If you are interested in working with any migratory birds, you must ALSO have a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We are in Region 3 and you can apply for a permit by phone at (612) 713-5436 or via the web at: www.fws.gov/permits/mbpermits/addresses.html

If you have decided that it is not for you, you can locate a wildlife rehabilitator near you at www.wildliferehabber.com or leave a message for me at 1-309-830-6739.

So why would anyone want to rehabilitate wildlife? I feel that I am contributing to the earth and have been privileged to witness compassion in the one species that we know has the ability to choose. To watch an animal return healthy to its home gives me purpose. I have learned many things about animals, nature and about humans while doing this work and it has become my passion.