Sources of Help

Finding a sick or injured animal can be stressful, we know. Rescues are incredibly busy and can't always pick up the phone immediately or take every animal about which they are contacted. Our site is designed to help. You should be able to find the information you need to assess whether you should help and how you should help, and our directory will provide you with details of around 700 individuals and organisations caring for sick and injured wildlife. In the unlikely event that you can't find the help you need through the website, this page will direct you to resources to assist you further.

If you’ve found a sick, injured, or at risk wild animal, our advice library should be your first port of call. It contains more than 60 articles designed to help you assess whether you should intervene and to give practical advice of next steps when you do.

If you believe help is needed and you need to find a wildlife rescue in your area, we have a directory of more than 700 wildlife rescues and independent rehabbers which you can search. Visit our directory, put your location in the box, and hit search. Clicking on the results will show you the rescue’s full information and how to get in touch with them.

In the unlikely event that you can’t find the information and help you need through our website, we operate an email HelpDesk through which our volunteers will provide advice and signpost you to rescues in the area. If the HelpDesk is closed or you prefer to speak to someone by telephone, please use the alternative sources of help below.

CURRENT HELPDESK AVAILABILITY

Monday - Saturday	9:00 - 21:00
Sunday	13:00 - 18:00

Alternative Sources of Help

The following organisations offer telephone helplines where you can seek advice about helping wildlife. You can call them regardless of whether they’re local to you and they will give advice and help you to find a rescue.

The Wildlife Aid Foundation (all species) – 01372 360404 (09:00 – 21:00)
St Tiggywinkles (all species) – 01844 292292 (24 hours)
Three Owls Bird Sanctuary and Reserve (birds only) – 07973 819389
RSPB wildlife team (birds only) – 01767 693690 (Mon to Fri 09:30-16:30)
- NB: the RSPB DO NOT run wildlife rescues but their wildlife team often assist callers in finding a wildlife rescue using our directory so, if you’re struggling to know what to do, they might be kind enough to help you.
The Bat Conservation Trust – 0345 1300 228 (Mon to Fri 09:30-16:30 with an out of hours service up until 22:00 April to September)
British Hedgehog Preservation Society – 01584 890 801 (out of hours emergency help available)
Mustelid Rescue (stoats and weasels) – 07903 965281 (24 hours)
Raptor Rescue (birds of prey) – 0870 241 0609
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (seals, whales, dolphins etc) – 01825 765546 (24 hours)
UK Wild Otter Trust – 01769 580621 / 07866 462820 / 07759 809667

With regret, we are unable to recommend calling the National RSPCA as their helpline is staffed by contractors working from a script and with minimal knowledge and understanding of wildlife. Calls to their helpline unfortunately often result in incorrect advice.

International Help

If you are outside of the UK, the following sites may be helpful in finding a rescue in other countries

Irish Wildlife Matters
National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (USA)
Animal Help Now (USA)
The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council

Please complete the form below and we will be happy to provide further advice. NB: This form is for non-urgent enquiries only and we may take 48 hours to respond. If you have found a sick or injured animal, or you’re concerned an animal may be at risk, please visit helpwildlife.co.uk/help

Please complete the form below and we will be happy to provide further advice. NB: This form is for non-urgent enquiries only and we aim to respond within 48 hours. If you have found a sick or injured animal, or you’re concerned an animal may be at risk, please visit helpwildlife.co.uk/help

Please complete the form below and our volunteers will be happy to provide further advice and support subject to our opening hours below.

Monday - Saturday	9:00 - 21:00
Sunday	13:00 - 18:00

Your Name

First Last

Your Email Address

Enter Email Confirm Email

Your UK Postcode

This will enable us to search for rescue help if needed. Please note we can only help with birds in the UK.

Is the pigeon…

Please choose the option which best describes the pigeon’s behaviour

flying about happily with wild pigeons

flying around on their own, keeping their distance from people

staying close to people or houses

very tame, likely able to be hand fed or picked up

captured and contained in a box or cage

deceased

Can you read the code on the pigeon's ring? If so, please enter it below(Required)

If you can’t see the code, just enter No or N/A

Have you been in touch with the owner or a racing pigeon association so far? If so, what was the outcome?(Required)

To help prevent spam, please enter the sum of 20 plus 15 below(Required)

HelpDesk Opening Hours

Monday - Saturday	9:00 - 21:00
Sunday	13:00 - 18:00

When open we aim to respond within an hour and typically you’ll receive an email response in about 15-20 minutes. If you prefer to speak to someone by phone or if the HelpDesk is closed, please visit helpwildlife.co.uk/help for guidance and other sources of help.

It's Saturday 10:49 - Our HelpDesk volunteers are currently AVAILABLE. Please complete the form below to get in touch.

"*" indicates required fields

Do any of the following apply to the animal/s you are concerned about?*

1. They have been caught by a cat, dog, or other predator
2. They have been hit by a car
3. They are collapsed (laying down and unable to stand or finding it very difficult to stand)
4. They have flies buzzing round them or flies have laid eggs on them
5. They are, or have been, caught in netting, a trap or snare, or tangled in fishing line/string

Yes

I'm not contacting you about an animal

This form is for help with sick, injured and at risk animals only. For anything else please visit helpwildlife.co.uk/contact-us.

Ok, they are going to need some help from a rescue.

The quickest way to get help is to search our wildlife rescue directory at directory.helpwildlife.co.uk. If you've not been able to find the help you need, you can continue below to request help from our volunteers. They may take up to an hour to respond so checking the directory for yourself first will save time.

We have a library of articles aimed at helping you decide when and how to help. You can view these at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice.

Common issues we are contacted about which are covered in these articles include
Foxes with Mange
When to Help Baby Birds
Birds in Chimneys
Birds Flying into Windows
Ducks Nesting in Unsuitable Places

Checking these articles first, and proceeding to search directory.helpwildlife.co.uk if rescue help is needed, takes some of the pressure off our busy volunteers. If you can't find the help you need in our advice library and rescue directory, you can continue below to ask our volunteers for bespoke help.

Which rescues have you contacted and what was the result?*

(e.g. they are full, there was no answer etc)? Have you left messages and/or sent a follow up text and waited a couple of hours for a reply?

Please tick to confirm you understand the following caveats

This is an email service only - we cannot provide support by phone.

We offer advice and help you locate rescue help - we cannot 'dispatch' a rescue to you.

Please tell us your name

First Last

What's your email address?

Enter Email Confirm Email

Subject

Please provide a short summary of the issue e.g. hedgehog out in the day, bird flew into a window, squirrels in the loft. This field has a 75 character limit - you can provide more detail in next field.

Describe the issue in more detail

NB: We are not able to return phone calls. For data protection reasons please do not include your phone number or full address.

Please attach a photo or video

It helps us to give you the right advice if we can see the species, stage of development and general demeanour of the animal you're contacting us about.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 64 MB.

What is the postcode of where the animal is?

This will help us to locate rescues in the area for you to contact if needed.