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Injured, Ill, or Abandoned Wildlife

Herd of Elk in a Field

Basics:

1. First, do no harm. Intervene only as much as is necessary to maintain the animal while getting it to a rehabilitator or a veterinarian.

2. It is illegal to be in possession of wildlife without proper state licensing. Residents may, however, be within the limits of human and animal safety and transport a small animal to a veterinarian or rehabilitator on an emergency basis.

3. Seek urgent medical attention for any bite or scratch by wildlife. Pets likewise require immediate veterinary attention for a bite or scratch.

Advice for Residents:

1. Do not touch or handle a wild animal. If you must touch an animal, e.g., for its safety, it should be done with thick gloves or other impermeable material.

2. Keep pets and children away from the animal. Limit human interaction; human interaction is highly stressful to a wild animal.

3. Stay calm and speak in soft, low tones. Walk quietly and slowly, and do not tower over the animal; it may perceive a towering human as a threat, causing it more stress and potentially aggressive behavior.

4. An injured or ill animal may stay calmer if a soft towel or blanket covers its head.

5. Do not approach an animal behaving abnormally, e.g., a skunk out of hiding during the daytime. Skunks, raccoons, coyotes, and bats can carry rabies. Rabies can occur in other mammals as well but is much rarer.

6. If a baby animal appears to be abandoned, leave it alone unless you know that the mom has been killed, the animal is injured, or a predator is after it. More often than not, the adult is nearby and will return.

7. If a baby animal has been abandoned, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) or a rehabilitation center for further advice. If it appears injured, keep it warm with a towel, blanket, or solar blanket while awaiting further direction.

8. A baby bird that has fallen out of a nest can be gently placed back in the nest, assuming you can safely reach the nest. The adult will not reject it. Unless directed by CPW or a wildlife rehabilitation or rescue authority, do not attempt to feed or give water to a young bird; incorrect feeding and watering may be harmful. 

9. A bird that hits a window may be stunned enough to appear dead for at least an hour. Handling it during this time may cause even more stress. Please do not touch it; only watch from a distance, and keep pets away. If the bird is still there after one hour and you see some movement or change in its posture that makes you think it is still alive, call a rehabilitation resource for advice on how to proceed. In extreme weather, either heat or cold, call a rehabilitator when you first see the bird strike, and they can recommend a timelier procedure.

Additional Information:

1. CPW is the primary contact for ES for large and medium-sized mammals (coyotes, bears, bobcats, foxes).

2. Contact ES or CPW for injured or ill small mammals that are potential rabies vectors. This includes bats, skunks, raccoons, feral cats, and dogs.

3. Residents can contact a rescue/rehabilitation center for injured or abandoned small mammals (squirrels, rabbits) that are not rabies vectors. If the animal is in the house or tangled in landscaping or outside cords, ES may be able to assist the resident in removing it.

4. Advise residents to contact bird rescue and rehabilitation agencies for injured or ill birds.

A helpful local resource is the Urban Wildlife Rescue website: http://www.urbanwildliferescue.org/, which provides information on the humane eviction of squirrels, skunks, and raccoons from a residence.

Note About Birds:

Most birds in the Village are considered songbirds, even the ravens and crows. Raptors are birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, owls, and vultures. There is a tiny raptor, the American Kestrels can be confused with songbirds due to their size. We also have water birds and shorebirds, such as Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese, as well as Wild Turkeys. If you are still determining what kind of bird you are dealing with, email or text a photo of the bird to the rescue agency. Importantly, if you find a baby or injured bird, do not attempt to give it food or water unless advised to do so by an expert. Birds can drown if they administer water incorrectly. Keep the bird safe from predators and protected from the elements. See the link below regarding injured and baby birds.

Licensed Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Resources

Large to medium mammals & raptors:

Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW)

303-791-1954 Littleton office

303-291-7227 Denver office

303-291-7131 (Justin Olson, our area rep. personal cell)

Small mammals (and songbirds & woodpeckers if necessary):

Greenwood Wildlife

Advice, rehabilitation –

303-823-8455, Open 9 – 4 daily

Birds (all birds, including hummingbirds and raptors):

Heather Brown, licensed bird rehabilitator – 303-667-7174

Local rehabilitation (Parker) and advice. Good choice to call first. Returns call quickly

Birds: (all birds except hummingbirds and raptors):

Wild Bird Rescue

Advice, rehabilitation – 303-927-7348

Birds: (all birds except hummingbirds and raptors):

Birds of Prey Foundation (BPF)

Advice, rehabilitation – 303-460-0674

Small and large mammals:

Urban Wildlife Rescue

Advice, rescue, informative website; not a rehabilitation agency – 303-340-4911

Baby birds and injured birds:

Best Friends.org – Informative Website

Additional Information:

https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/SpecialLicenses/WildlifeRehabilitation/PublicRehabListing.pdf

If a resident has found a rehabilitator not on the public list, they should ask the rehabilitator if they are licensed in Colorado. Licensing is essential to ensure adequate facilities and qualified personnel. The public list only includes some licensed rehabilitators. Many rehabilitators have limited capacity and choose not to be publicly listed.

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Castle Pines Homes Association

  • 688 West Happy Canyon Road
    Castle Rock CO 80108
  • Hours: Monday to Friday
    8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
  • Phone 303-814-1345

Castle Pines Emergency Services

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