I have an animal that needs help!

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Assess. Consider. Find help. Intervene. 

We know you want to help, seeing a quiet animal or one that becomes still and calm when approached or touched is not necessarily an indication of their understanding of your intentions.  

Wild animals have three typical responses to danger- fight, flight, and freeze. 

Fight is always a last resort because it exerts much energy and resources, they will do this when they feel they are about to die. 

Flight is the "go-to" as it simply is evasion and escape, most animals do not want confrontation and will do as much as possible to avoid capture.

Freeze is typical in cases of animals that depend on camouflage, and are incapable of fight or flight such as fawns or cottontail kits. 

If an animal is calm and "seems to understand you are trying to help them", they are more likely to be experiencing great fear, stress, and anxiety.

Avoid contact or handling, and never try to give food or liquids. Doing so, even with the best intentions, can lead to harm.

The response of the individual wanting to help the animal in need may be the deciding factor in the success of that animal's future.

Is there an injury or illness? 

Some needs are obvious; bleeding, broken bones, or witnessing trauma such as a cat or dog catching an animal or vehicle strike. 

Other needs can be difficult to determine when the symptoms are behavioral without observable injury and a person finding an animal the finder is not familiar with what is possibly normal. A frequently reported example is finding a bird that cannot fly. Sometimes this is a young bird achieving a milestone of independence called fledging. (see more about fledglings in the birds section)

In situations of question, we recommend contacting a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to discuss what is being observed. 

Following the assessment, consider your observations. 

For an undoubtedly injured animal, prepare to gently capture and safely contain them until making contact with a licensed rehabilitator. Wait for further instructions.  (for guidelines please look at the outline of species on this page)

Does the animal appear young or mature? Are you able to determine? 

Some species have a natural history of leaving their young for periods throughout the day or night at a nest site or a safe place while they forage or graze. Raccoons, foxes, skunks, deer, and cottontail rabbits do this for example.

Reptiles lay eggs, leave a nest site, and never return. (With limited exception) Finding a tiny turtle, snake, or lizard does not mean they need help in every case.

More information to follow

When looking for the correct care, it is important to get as many calls out as possible, not just to those in your area.

You are encouraged to call and follow instructions as directed by the information in outgoing messages. Some rehabilitators may ask for pictures or videos sent to their number so they can make assessments. Often the preferred method of communication is text messaging, rehabilitators can manage multiple cases simultaneously this way. The wildlife rehabilitator may be able to care for the species you are contacting them about, or the stage of life they are in, possibly they are at capacity for animals in care or that species. 

In some cases, a rehabilitator a distance away may be able to help even if one nearby cannot. 

It is understood that you and the animal you are concerned about are important. Please know wildlife rehabilitation in Tennessee is not funded by the state or federal government. Rehabilitators are largely unpaid and work quickly through as many contacts while managing other roles. We ask that you be patient and kind during your wait. 

The exception to waiting for the instruction to capture is in the event of imminent danger to the animal. 

Imminent danger means the animal is likely to sustain further injury or is susceptible to death in that exact moment...exposure to extremely hot or cold temperatures, on the road at risk of vehicle strike, or actively swarmed with insects. 

What it does not mean is a domestic animal or human activity is involved, modify those elements and control the situation until professional help is available.

Not all cases end with the animal being placed in rehabilitation care! 

Sometimes a little help is needed or even better, a little understanding and information.

Transportation can be tricky sometimes. Perhaps a vehicle is not available or timelines will not align, or any other variety of scenarios may occur prohibiting the animal from arriving into care. 

Because wildlife rehabilitators are busy multitasking calls, cleanings, feedings, and many other tasks, we are not able to travel to the location of the animal for pickup. Sometimes transport volunteers can make the travel and remedy these situations however, we ask that you plan to deliver the animal needing help to us.