Time and time again, people find injured, supposedly sick or orphaned wild animals in their gardens, in towns or in the countryside. This is particularly common in spring and summer. But does the animal really need help? Traffic accidents involving wild animals are also a frequent occurrence in rural areas. So what is the right thing to do? Here you will find the most important information.
Not all wild animals found motionless need help. Young birds, hedgehogs, hares, and fawns in particular are often separated from their parents for long periods of time while they are searching for food. If you think you have found a wild animal's nest, do not touch it. Observe the nest from a safe distance unless you can see immediately that an animal is in immediate danger. If in doubt, call a wildlife rescue center to ask whether intervention is really necessary in this particular case.
As a layperson, do not try to care for an orphaned or injured wild animal yourself. Do not take it with you without consulting someone first. Contact your local nature conservation authority, a nearby wildlife rescue center, the relevant police department, or your local animal welfare organization. They will advise you on what to do in your specific case. Many native wild animal species are also subject to hunting laws. It is considered poaching if you take a wild animal from a hunting ground without permission.
In Germany, the hedgehog is on the "early warning list" of the Red List of endangered mammals. It has been chosen as Animal of the Year for 2024. Intensive farming has forced 90% of its habitat into urban areas. Here, it is exposed to many dangers, including road traffic, robotic lawn mowers, mouse traps, and garden chemicals. The hedgehog is specially protected under the Federal Species Protection Ordinance. Therefore, you may only take it in for temporary, expert care.
Hedgehogs need help in the following cases:
In these cases, contact a hedgehog rescue center immediately for advice and to have the hedgehog taken in. Warm up an undercooled hedgehog by placing it on a warm hot water bottle and wrapping it in a towel. The hedgehog's belly should not be colder than your hand. Feeding or veterinary treatment should only be given once the hedgehog has reached a normal body temperature. Offer hedgehogs water and wet cat food or scrambled eggs fried without milk or spices. Severely emaciated hedgehogs should only drink water at first. Take them to a hedgehog rescue center or a veterinarian immediately. Do not warm up a hedgehog infested with fly eggs or maggots, as the maggots will multiply very quickly. First collect them and remove any ticks with tick tweezers. You can use a cardboard box measuring at least 100 x 100 cm and 60 cm high as temporary accommodation for a hedgehog. Place a shoe box filled with small pieces of household paper or newspaper with a 10 x 10 cm hole as a nest inside the box. The room temperature should be around 65°F.
Keep in mind that hedgehogs are often infested with fleas. These will quickly jump onto you and your own pets.
People often find young birds on the side of the road or under trees. However, these are rarely abandoned animals that need your help. Most of them are so-called nestlings. These are young birds that are practicing flying and feeding outside their nest. Their parents still provide for them, though. First, carefully observe a fully feathered young bird that is not injured from a safe distance. Wait to see if a parent bird appears. They usually feed their young within one to two hours. If the bird is sitting on the road, carefully place it on the nearest grassy area. Contrary to popular belief, parents will continue to care for their young even if they have been touched by humans.
However, if it is a newly hatched, barely feathered young bird, help is needed. This so-called nestling will not be cared for by its parents outside the nest. Carefully place it back in the nest, bearing in mind that it is illegal to touch the nests of breeding birds. If you cannot find a nest, take the bird to the nearest wildlife rescue center or bird sanctuary. Use a cardboard box padded with a towel and with air holes.
A squirrel always needs help if it is easy to catch or is already lying on the ground. Young animals in distress will sometimes even run after people and try to climb up them. Mother animals will not accept hypothermic or injured young. Carefully wrap a hypothermic baby squirrel in a towel and warm it up. The human smell will not bother the parents later. As they may also have been involved in an accident, search the area where you found the squirrel for other affected young. A litter can consist of up to seven young. If the animal is warm and uninjured, it is best to place it in a flat cardboard box and return it to where you found it. Watch from a distance to see if the mother returns for her young. Make sure there are no crows, cats, or dogs nearby. However, these young animals have often been without care for days. Take them to a wildlife rescue center as soon as possible. Offer them water first or drip it into their mouth with a disposable syringe. You can also mix in a little sugar or honey. Do not feed it milk under any circumstances. Transport the squirrel in a cardboard box with air holes. Be careful, it may bite out of fear. Do not raise a baby squirrel yourself. They need other squirrels to learn how to behave naturally.
City pigeons are not considered wild animals, but rather feral pets. Due to the insufficient supply of species-appropriate food in the city, many pigeons suffer from malnutrition and disease. In addition, they often suffer from painful constrictions of the toes/feet caused by threads or hair used as nesting material. Injuries also occur as a result of getting caught in nets, impaling themselves on pigeon spikes, and traffic accidents. If you find a pigeon in distress, first place it carefully in a cardboard box with air holes. Threads on the feet can be removed with nail scissors, provided they are not too deeply ingrown. If further care is needed, contact an animal shelter or, if available locally, a pigeon rescue service.
If you find a weak or injured carrier pigeon or racing pigeon, look for the breeding station's phone number on its leg ring. If you can't find it, you can find contact details for your region on the website of the Association of German Carrier Pigeon Breeders (Verband Deutscher Brieftaubenzüchter e.V.).
If you take an animal to a veterinary practice, the treatment costs are generally borne by the person who commissioned the service. At that point, you are responsible for the costs. Depending on the type of animal and location, you may be able to apply to your local municipality or city for reimbursement. Otherwise, contact your local animal welfare organization, wildlife rescue center, or local hunting or nature conservation authority in advance.
Please note that not all practices are able to take in wild animals. Always call in advance to check.
In the event of a traffic accident involving an injured wild animal, call the police immediately. They will notify the person responsible for the hunting ground. Never touch injured wild animals, as they may defend themselves. Keep your distance and try not to alarm the animal. You must not remove the animal from the scene of the accident. Doing so would be considered poaching under hunting laws.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral disease of the central nervous system that is transmitted by ticks. It occurs widely in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as in single areas further north. Not only humans are infected, but also dogs, horses, sheep, goats, and cattle. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal.
These tumors, which occur relatively frequently in cats, are not cancerous, as is often mistakenly assumed. They are benign, pedunculated mucosal protrusions that are often inflamed. Young cats up to two years of age are particularly affected.
Not a pleasant sight: suddenly, your dog is lying in a wet bed in the morning. It smells of urine and they look at you sheepishly. Their nose is still working well and they clearly feel uncomfortable.
Every dog owner is very alarmed when their previously fit dog suddenly starts limping for no apparent reason. It can happen to anyone, whether your dog is athletic or laid-back. It is important to take a closer look: fortunately, the causes are often harmless and can be treated quickly.
Sometimes a violent coughing fit comes on completely unexpectedly and frightens us as much as it does our dog. Whether it's a dry "barking" cough, a mucus-filled retching or a wheezing sound, coughing can manifest itself in many different ways. It's important to investigate the cause so that we can help our dog quickly.
Seizures also occur in dogs. How at risk your dog is depends largely on its breed: some breeds are more prone to seizures than others.
Let the adventure begin – it's time to buy a horse! The excitement is palpable. But before rushing headlong into buying the first shiny pony you see, every new horse owner should ask themselves a few important questions.
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