Florida Wildlife Hospital

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Do I Do If I Find An Injured Animal?

Wild animals can be very dangerous. If you are uncomfortable handling the injured animal, please call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice. They may send a trained volunteer if one is available, or you may contact your local Animal Services Department. Brevard Animal Services and Enforcement can be reached at 633-2024 ext. 1.

DO NOT HANDLE raccoons, fox, skunks, bats, otters, bobcats, or unknown dogs and cats. These animals are considered to be high risk RABIES carriers. Being scratched or bitten by one of these animals may require an expensive series of injections for you, and/or euthanasia and testing for the animal.

Why Can't I Raise Orphan Wildlife Myself?

There are many reasons why not just anybody can raise and treat wildlife. First off, it is illegal. Mammals are regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Migratory birds are regulated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. There are many laws that protect these animals. Professional wildlife rehabilitators have special purpose possession permits which allow only qualified individuals to treat and temporarily possess orphaned and injured wildlife. Taking care of wildlife is a huge responsibility, with each species requiring specialized handling, diets and caging. Feeding the wrong thing to a baby animal can be fatal. If you are interested in wildlife rehabilitation, contact your local wildlife center to volunteer.

What Do I Do If I Find A Baby Bird?

Most baby birds found on the ground are not orphaned and may not need human assistance. Look for the parents or a nest. If you see either one, leave the baby alone or put it back in the nest. Touching the baby will not cause the parents to abandon it. Watch from a distance and keep children and pets away from the area. If the baby is injured or the parents have not returned after several hours, it will need help. Babies should be kept warm and quiet and be handled as little as possible to reduce stress. Remember, DO NOT FEED IT ANYTHING! Put the baby in a ventilated shoebox and call a licensed rehabilitator.

What Do I Do If I Find A Baby Squirrel?

If you find a baby squirrel that has fallen out of its nest and does NOT appear to be injured, you can either find the nest and put it back or leave the baby at the base of the tree. Unlike birds, squirrels and other mammals can pick up and carry their babies back to the nest. Keep away from the area to allow the mother to come down. She will not come down if there are pets and people around. If the baby appears sick or injured or has flies or ants nearby, pick up the baby with a towel and put it into a ventilated shoebox. Please do not feed wildlife anything. Take the baby to a licensed rehabilitator for treatment.

How Can I Help?

Florida Wildlife Hospital always needs volunteers to do the many tasks required to keep our facility running. You do not have to work directly with the animals to help out. Here are just some ways you can help:

Fundraising	Getting Supplies Donated	Networking
Folding Brochures	Yard Maintenance	Shopping
Cage Building	General Maintenance	Preparing Diets

Other daily duties include:

Cage
Cleaning

General
Cleaning

Washing
Dishes

Doing Laundry

Animal care volunteers feed orphaned wildlife and assist the rehabilitator. No experience necessary. We provide on-the-job training to qualified volunteers. You can also volunteer your professional skills--veterinary, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, architectural, landscaping, equipment repair, fundraising, computer programming, etc. We are currently searching for an experienced grant writer either to volunteer to help with grant writing or to train other volunteers in this area. Please see the bottom of our homepage for upcoming volunteer orientation dates.

I Do Not Have Much Time To Contribute, But I Want To Help. What Can I Do?

If you want to help but do not have time, you may donate items from our Wish List. We are always in need of these items. Donated items mean less money we have to spend on operational expenses.

Become a Member of Florida Wildlife Hospital! Members form the backbone of our organization by supporting the costs of running our wildlife center. Individual memberships start at $20.00. You will receive our quarterly newsletter and monthly e-news updates with progress reports, interesting animals cases and local environmental news. Florida Wildlife Hospital cannot exist without the generosity of our community and continuing support from our members. Please email or call 321.254.8843 to request a membership application.