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Wild Animals

Wild animals sometimes need our help, but occasionally we can do more harm than good

Wild Animals

Wild animals sometimes need our help, but occasionally we can do more harm than good

  • Wildlife & Suspected Injured Wildlife
  • Abandoned Birds

Wildlife & Suspected Injured Wildlife

Blue House support the advice given by the RSPB and RSPCA for injured or ‘abandoned’ wildlife.

If you suspect a wild animal or bird is injured, unless it is in imminent danger it is probably worth observing from a distance for it for a little while to see how badly hurt it is.

Handling wildlife unnecessarily can be very stressful for the animal or bird concerned. If you are sure the animal is injured it is probably best to contain it as long as it is safe to do so.  

The RSPCA would then suggest calling their helpline on the following number for further advice: 0300 1234 999 

Always exercise Caution!

Wild animals can scratch and bite when frightened, particularly if they are injured.  If you are in any doubt it is best to keep a safe distance and to call the RSPCA for advice first.

The following advice is taken directly from the RSPCA website:

Apply common sense when approaching an injured animal:

•  Never lift a wild animal, unless you are sure that you can do so without risk to yourself or others.
•  Wear gloves when handling all wild animals, especially oiled wildlife – pollutants like oil can be hazardous.
•  Keep the animal away from your face.
•  Wash your hands thoroughly after handling an animal.
•  Take care in dangerous locations, such as a busy road. Watch from a distance first to see whether the animal is still alive, and call for help if you can’t reach it safely.
•  Never try to free an animal from a snare or trap – you risk hurting yourself and the animal, and it could be an offence if the animal was legally caught. Stay back to avoid stressing the animal, and call the RSPCA with the location.

Injured Swan


Capture and boxing

If it’s safe to catch and handle the animal, then, wearing suitable gloves, quickly place it into a secure cardboard box with ventilation holes, lined with towel or newspaper. Keep the animal quiet and take it to an RSPCA wildlife centre, local wildlife rehabilitator approved by the RSPCA (if you know of one), or your local vet.

Blue House Vets are always happy to help injured wildlife. However, all too often specialist care is required, which is best given by wildlife centres such as the RSPCA at Stapeley Grange. If you can, transporting the animal directly to Stapeley minimises the stress for the animal and allows prompt treatment. 

Their address is:

RSPCA Stapeley Grange
London Road
Nantwich
CW5 7JW

Abandoned Birds

Seemingly abandoned animals are also best observed from a distance unless they are in imminent danger.

Please leave 'abandoned' baby birds alone. If you find a young bird out of its nest, it is probably a fledgling.

Young garden birds usually leave the nest about two weeks after hatching - just before they can fly. They will have grown all or most of their feathers, are very mobile and can walk, run and hop onto low branches.

Fledglings are fed by their parents - the parents are rarely far away and are probably collecting food. However, they will not return to the fledglings until you have gone.

Baby Birds

Please make a note of where you found the bird as it may be sensible to return it to this location when the danger has passed.  If is mistakenly thought to be injured and brought into Blue House, we may suggest you take back and put it in a safe place as close as possible to where it was first found.

To this end, when you bring a wild bird or animal into Blue House our reception staff may ask you to wait for a short time whilst the vet conducts an examination in case the animal is best returned as soon as possible to where it was found.

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