I Found An Animal – What Should I Do?

What Should You Do?

 

If you find a baby animal?  Please refer to species specific information (such as Baby Squirrel information) found under the Information Tab.

If you find a baby bird?  Please refer to the Baby Bird Information found under the Information Tab.

If you find a fawn?  Until they are two weeks old (or older) and strong enough to keep up with their mother, it it normal for fawns to be found alone, curled up in the grass.  THEY ARE NOT ABANDONED.  Please refer to the Baby Deer (Fawn) information found under the Information tab.  Please do not be a fawn-napper.

Injured adult deer?  call Game Warden dispatch at 512-389-4848

Before bringing any animals to our center, please call Friends of Texas Wildlife at 281-259-0039, or email our hotline at ftwl.help@gmail.com to determine if the animal is truly in need of help.  The email hotline is monitored after hours; the phone line is not monitored when we are closed.  Many normal behaviors of wildlife may be misinterpreted, resulting in a situation where the animal is actually being interfered with unnecessarily. Certain situations can be handled successfully without coming into direct contact with the animal.

Phones are monitored during our regular business hours (daily 10 a.m. to 2 p.m./closed on Sundays).  During those hours, or after hours, you can also email our hotline at ftwl.help@gmail.com.  Messaging on Facebook is not recommended as Facebook is not monitored as frequently as email hotline.  If you need assistance after hours, you can also refer to this link (you may need to look at adjacent counties if there are no listings for your county):  http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/rehab/list

Please remember that we and all wildlife rehabilitations are unpaid VOLUNTEERS who are not funded to care for the animals they take in.

Please do not bring animals to our intake center unless you spoken with our intake center first to be sure we are open and ready to receive the animal.  We are not open 24 hours, so we may sometimes refer you directly to a rehabilitator in your area. 

We may not be able to take in certain rabies-vector species (raccoons, skunks, bats, coyotes, or foxes).  There are specific rules we have to follow on these species, so please be as accurate as you can when calling on these animals (what county you live in, what county the animal was found in, etc.).  We may also require a driver’s license or other photo i.d. in order to take these animals in, so be prepared to provide that information if you are instructed to bring the animal to our center.

Nearly all mammals and birds are protected by State and Federal laws. It is against the law to have in your possession a mammal (or its nest) or a bird (its nest, feathers, or eggs) without special permits.

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