Native wildlife
Wild birds, mammals, reptiles and raptors
Wildlife is protected by state and federal law. Handling, transporting or keeping most native species requires a permit — so the safest and most legal thing you can do is observe, document and report.
Not sure what kind of animal or help is needed? Report it anyway.
Safety comes before rescue — always.
- Call 911 or your local animal control if a wild animal is threatening people or is inside an occupied building.
- If any person or pet was bitten, scratched, or had direct contact with a wild mammal, contact your county public health department — this may be a rabies exposure.
- A wild animal acting unusually — active in daylight when nocturnal, disoriented, unafraid, stumbling — should be reported and never approached.
- Never handle a bat. Ever. Report it and keep everyone away, including pets.
While you wait
Do
- Stay far back and keep the animal in sight only if it's safe to do so.
- Leash dogs and bring cats indoors — pets are the most common cause of further injury.
- Note the exact location, time and what you observed, and include a distant photo.
- Keep the area quiet: no crowd, no flashlights, no music, no repeated approaches.
- Give fawns, fledglings and young rabbits space — parents are usually nearby and return when people leave.
- Report the animal and wait for guidance from a permitted responder or licensed rehabilitator.
Don't
- Don't feed wildlife or offer water bowls — the wrong food and forced hydration can kill.
- Don't wrap, box or transport an animal unless a permitted rehabilitator has told you to.
- Don't keep wildlife at home, even overnight, even to help — it is illegal and usually fatal.
- Don't attempt to reunite, relocate or release an animal yourself.
- Don't corner, herd or trap an animal, especially a coyote, bobcat or raccoon.
- Don't post an exact wildlife location publicly; crowds are dangerous for the animal.
What we can and cannot do
Permit-aware routing
Native wildlife cases are routed to licensed rehabilitators, permitted partners, or the appropriate agency. We do not represent permits we do not hold.
Documentation and coordination
We can document the case, coordinate between reporters and permitted responders, and follow up on outcomes.
What we won't do
We will not take native wildlife into unpermitted custody, rehabilitate without authorization, or promise an outcome we cannot legally deliver.
Public safety species
Mountain lions, bears, and any animal presenting a public safety risk are escalated to law enforcement and state wildlife authorities.
Native wildlife is regulated by state and federal law; migratory birds and raptors have additional federal protection. Any permits, partnerships, or rehabilitation authority we hold will be listed only after verification.