Staff at the Wildlife Center of Virginia are available seven days a week, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, to assist with wildlife issues. Center veterinarians are also on call after hours for wildlife emergencies.
- If you find a baby animal, first evaluate if it needs help.
- Always use gloves if you must handle any wild animal.
- Do not feed any animal unless instructed by a permitted rehabilitator.
- If you find a sick or injured wild animal or a young wild animal in need of intervention, please contact the Wildlife Center or a permitted wildlife rehabilitator in your area as soon as possible.
The online resources below are designed to help the public with a wide variety of wildlife issues, including initial assessment and rescue, how to prevent injury, and how to coexist with wildlife.
Sick & Injured Wildlife
Sick and injured wildlife need assistance from permitted wildlife rehabilitators or veterinarians. Please call the Wildlife Center for advice on the best way to help. These animals may be having trouble breathing, lying on their side, bleeding profusely, and/or have broken limbs or extensive wounds. Learn more here about how to safely help sick and injured wildlife, including capturing wild animals, creating a wildlife rescue kit, and special advice for high-risk rabies species.
Healthy Young Wildlife
Many young wild animals are not in need of “help” from humans at all; they are young animals still receiving care from their parents, or young animals that are ready to live, and thrive, on their own. Prior to intervening, please call for advice or learn more on how to best help and assess a variety of commonly found young wild animal species, including Eastern Gray Squirrels, Cottontail Rabbits, White-tailed Deer Fawns, baby birds, and more.
Learn More about Wildlife Issues
Most of the wild animals admitted to the Wildlife Center’s hospital each year are admitted due to human-related causes. The most common causes of injuries to wildlife include vehicle collisions, lead poisoning, free-roaming domestic animals, and many types of litter, including roadside litter, discarded fishing gear, and more.
Many of these issues are preventable; learn more here about how you can take action to protect wildlife.
Managing Wildlife Conflicts & Habitats
Wildlife and humans live and thrive in a variety of habitats, whether rural, urban, or someplace in between. As humans continue to expand their territories, it’s more important than ever to learn how to share space with our wild neighbors. Whether you’d like to create better wildlife habitats around your home or need to manage a wildlife conflict, the Center has resources to help.
Managing Wildlife Conflicts
Raiding trash cans, damaging plants, and entering human spaces are some of the many issues that can arise with wild neighbors. Long-term solutions focus on fixing and preventing conflicts.
Creating Backyard Habitats
Attract and sustain a variety of wildlife species to your yard by providing shelter, natural food sources, and water.