Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of animals do you take in your hospital?
- Do you accept raccoons or bats?
- Why don’t you accept pigeons, starlings or sparrows?
- What kind of injuries do you see?
- What do I do if I find an injured animal?
- If I have to bring an injured animal to you or to a hospital, will I have to pay?
- What type of funding do you receive?
- If wildlife rehabilitators don’t get paid, why do you do it?
- I’ve found this injured animal, but I am not going to pick it up. Will your organization come pick it up?
- Can I keep a wild animal as a pet, or release my pet into the wild?
What kind of animals do you take in your hospital?
Volunteers for Wildlife accepts all wildlife that is native to New York. Basically, that means we accept all birds except Pigeons, European Starlings, and House Sparrows. As far as mammals, we admit squirrels, cottontail rabbits, and opossums. We cannot admit deer because of the size of our caging.
BACK TO THE TOPDo you accept raccoons or bats?
Volunteers for Wildlife is not licensed to work with rabies vector species.
BACK TO THE TOPWhy don’t you accept pigeons, starlings or sparrows?
Those species were all introduced to the United States from Europe. Our Federal Permit licenses us to care for birds that are native to New York, and our aviary space is limited. However, as hospital caging allows, we will admit adult sparrows or starlings that are injured. If you have a question regarding a pigeon, try Pigeon Life.
BACK TO THE TOPWhat kind of injuries do you see?
Injuries range from animals attacked by cats and dogs, to hit by cars or lawnmowers. We also get in birds that have collided into people’s windows and sustained head trauma.
In the spring, we field hundreds of calls about “orphaned” birds and mammals. We spend a lot of time counseling the public about true orphans. We also admit raptors that have succumbed to rodent poisoning. People put out rodent poison, the rodents eat it and the hawks/owls eat the rodent.
BACK TO THE TOPWhat do I do if I find an injured animal?
Visit our Help page if you think you have found an injured animal.
BACK TO THE TOPIf I have to bring an injured animal to you or to a hospital, will I have to pay?
No. Wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians who treat wildlife do not charge for their services. However, donations are always appreciated and help toward the care of the patients.
BACK TO THE TOPWhat type of funding do you receive?
Volunteers for Wildlife, and all licensed wildlife rehabilitators, survive only on donations by caring individuals who bring us wildlife. There is no funding from the state for our services. Just like anybody else, we have to pay for food, medications, and any supplies needed for our patients. Donations are always appreciated, or another way to help is to check out our Wish List. You can also become a member of our organization.
BACK TO THE TOPIf wildlife rehabilitators don’t get paid, why do you do it?
Wildlife rehabilitators are regular people who have an interest in caring for wildlife and our environment. It is often asked why we do what we do, and if we are interfering with natural selection. It is a good question!
The majority of the cases we see in our hospital are admitted because of human impact. Continual development of land in New York has taken the home of countless box turtles. The number of cars on the road have taken the lives of hundreds of rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, opossums. Toxic reactions from pesticides, insecticides and chemical lawn treatments are common enough, and is thought to be a factor in metabolic bone disease in fledgling birds. Injuries from cast away fishing line, plastic six-pack rings, and litter is common, as are birds and small mammals caught on glue-traps.
While we as rehabilitators recognize that what we do helps only a small fraction of the animals admitted to us, we acknowledge that not only does it help those individual cases, but the opportunity to educate both ourselves and the public on how to prevent some of theses instances reoccurring, is priceless.
BACK TO THE TOPI’ve found this injured animal, but I am not going to pick it up. Will your organization come pick it up?
We do have a small network of people who go out as their time allows. However, the best thing for the injured animal is to get care as quickly as possible. The quickest way for that to happen is if the public helps out by getting the animal to us. As volunteers, most of us have other jobs and aren’t always available to go out immediately.
But check out our How to Restrain Injured Wildlife link to find out how to expedite helping the animal.
BACK TO THE TOPCan I keep a wild animal as a pet, or release my pet into the wild?
Wild animals should not be kept as pets. In some cases there are laws that prevent you from doing so, and in other cases it is simply an unsafe choice for yourself, the animal, and any other pets you may have. Releasing your pet into the wild is not only unsafe for the animal, it is often detrimental to the environment as well. We invite you to read much more about both keeping wild animals and releasing pets here.
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