Spring brings a boom in baby wildlife and the Fairfax County Police Department’s animal-protection officers and Wildlife Management Office receive many calls this time of year from residents seeking help for young wildlife that appear to be orphaned or abandoned.
While these actions are well-intended, intervention may be unnecessary and even detrimental to wildlife. Many baby animals brought to wildlife professionals are in no need of help from humans.
Baby animals left alone are not necessarily orphaned or abandoned; many species of wildlife will hide their young for safety, leaving them alone for extended periods of time, police said.
Common wildlife frequently found and “rescued” in Fairfax County include squirrels, red foxes, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, opossums and songbirds. If you come across a baby animal and are wondering whether to intervene, follow the guidelines below to determine if the animal needs help. If an animal is displaying these signs, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian or the Animal Protection Police for further assistance and instruction.
Signs that an animal needs help include:
• The animal shows signs of flies, worms or maggots.
• The animal was caught by a cat or dog, even if no injuries are visible.
• The animal has an open wound, broken limb or other signs of trauma.
• The animal’s parents are known to be dead or are separated and cannot be reunited.
• The animal is very cold, thin or weak.
• The animal is on the ground and unable to move.
• The animal is not fully furred or feathered.
Do not attempt to treat or raise wildlife yourself. Do not handle any baby wild animals and or attempt to offer them food or water unless instructed to do so by a professional. Many young animals require special diets and inappropriate food or feeding technique can lead to sickness or death.
Wild animals can also cause injury to humans or transmit parasites and disease, even at a young age. Human handling may cause unnecessary stress or result in trauma to the animal and could increase the risk of disease exposure to humans.
Never touch a mammal barehanded; picking up a young animal without gloves increases the risk for possible rabies exposure. As a safety measure and for the welfare of the animal, contact a professional before intervening. This could make a difference in the animal’s life.
A young animal’s best chance for survival is to receive natural care from its parents and remain wild. Before intervening, learn more about which wildlife species and situations you are most likely to encounter and ways to determine whether an animal needs help at:
• https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/injured.
• https://www.wildlifecenter.org/healthy-young-wildlife.
• https://www.wildliferescueleague.org/animals/does-this-animal-need-help.
• https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/found-orphaned-or-injured-baby-wild-animal.
If you have questions about whether an animal needs help or how to locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, contact the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline toll-free at 1 (855) 571-9003 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To contact Fairfax County’s Animal Protection Police, call the police department’s non-emergency number at (703) 691-2131.
