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Animals Tangled in Netting, Fencing or Line

Becoming tangled in line or netting can cause serious injuries to wildlife. It is very tempting when faced with this scenario to want to save the animal yourself by simply cutting it free. But there are several good reasons why you should not do this. In this scenario you will almost always need to seek help from a wildlife rescue to ensure any resulting injuries and complications are properly treated.

Animals trapped in netting or fencing

A trapped animal will be extremely frightened and will view your approach not as help but as a threat. They will try to defend themselves and if the victim is a fox, badger, deer or swan for example it could cause you serious injury. These animals should only be handled by experienced rescuers with specialist equipment. If the casualty is a smaller, less dangerous type and you’re able to, cover it with a towel to keep it calm and cut it free with a good few inches of the netting left attached. Do not attempt to remove the netting from the animal yourself unless absolutely necessary, for example, if it’s restricting the animal’s breathing.

It is very important that you do not just release the animal. If trapped for some time, the animal may be dehydrated, malnourished, suffering from shock, hypothermia or heat stroke. They may need a chance to rest and recuperate before being made to face the challenges of life in the wild again. Constriction by netting, fencing or line can cause lasting damage due to the loss of blood supply to the affected area. It is therefore vital that every animal trapped in this way is assessed and treated by an experienced wildlife rehabilitator.

Animals tangled in fishing line, hair or string

All of these materials commonly get wrapped round birds’ feet, cutting off the circulation and causing infection, necrosis and amputations.

Left in the water, fishing line is easily mistaken for weed and swallowed by waterfowl. If you see a bird with fishing line hanging from its beak it is important that you seek assistance and do not try to capture the bird yourself. NEVER try to remove fishing line from the mouth. There may be a hook on the other end which could cause serious lasting damage so the bird should be assessed and treated at a wildlife rescue. It’s worth noting though that just as a bird can get weed and line mixed up so can you. Double check before you call that what you’re seeing really is line and not just a harmless bit of pond weed.

The most likely bird to be affected by hair or string around their feet is the pigeon, though other birds who spend time around humans can also be afflicted. Birds whose feet are affected can be difficult to help as their their ability to fly is often unaffected. You can try setting a home-made trap for them as detailed here.

Finding Help

You can find rescues in your area by putting your location into the search facility at helpwildlife.co.uk/map and you’ll find detailed advice on getting help from a wildlife rescue at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/. If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Animals Caught by a Cat or Dog

We’re big fans of cats and dogs but it has to be said that, without them, wildlife rescues would have a far quieter life. Cat and dog attacks account for a large percentage of the casualties brought into wildlife rescues but worse are the many thousands of birds and animals who are attacked each year who never get the help they need.

What action is needed?

It’s all too easy to take the victim from your cat and simply release them again. But doing so may condemn them to a slow death. Cats have a lot of bacteria on their teeth and these pass into the victim’s bloodstream when they’re bitten. Without antibiotic therapy, ideally within 4 hours, the casualty is likely to die from septicaemia. It only takes one tiny scratch, which may not be immediately visible, to cause this. So any animal which is caught by a cat should be rescued, contained and taken to a wildlife rescue for treatment.

Our cat attack advice poster for sharing on social media

Failing to secure appropriate treatment for a cat attack victim may be a breach of the Animal Welfare Act for which you could face prosecution.

Injuries from dog attacks are generally more obvious although, in the case of hedgehogs, it can be difficult to see them through the spines. Again it is best to assume that there are injuries and seek assistance for any animal which has been attacked by a dog.

Next Steps

Once you’ve established that an animal needs help you’ll ideally get them contained and get them to a wildlife rescue. You’ll find detailed advice on catching them, keeping them safe, and getting help from a wildlife rescue at https://helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/

If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Autumn Juvenile Hedgehogs

It’s not news that our hedgehogs are struggling. Estimated numbers of around 30 million in the 1950s fell to estimates of only 1.5 million in the 1990s. Studies suggest that numbers may have declined further by as much as 40% in the last decade.

Climate change may be contributing to hedgehog litters being born later and urbanisation is reducing the hedgehog’s natural food supply. This is leading to many young hedgehogs not being big enough to survive hibernating in their first winter.

How you can help

• Put food out for any visiting hedgehogs. Meat flavoured cat food of either the loaf or chunks in jelly types is best, with some crunchy cat biscuits added for dental health. There is no need to add anything else like mealworms, dried fruit or peanuts as is sometimes suggested, as these can cause nutritional and dental problems.
• Monitor the size, shape and weight of visiting hedgehogs during Autumn and Winter. In order to survive hibernation, hedgehogs must have sufficient fat reserves otherwise they will essentially starve while they sleep. It’s often said that hedgehogs must weigh X amount (usually 450 – 600g) to hibernate but in reality, it’s a little more complicated. A large hedgehog might be underweight at 600g. In this case body shape is also important as shown in the image below (credit Toni Bunnell)

• Be alert for any hedgehogs which are sick or injured. Weight is a good basic indicator of whether a hedgehog can survive hibernation but also be aware that hedgehogs showing any of the following signs are likely to need help
  • out during the day
  • staggering or wobbling
  • heavy parasite burden (such as ticks or fleas)
  • visible wounds or spine loss
  • looking thin i.e. significantly longer than they are wide or thinner round the back end

If you are concerned about a hedgehog’s well-being, regardless of its weight, please contact a hedgehog carer to discuss your concerns and they will advise whether the hog needs to be brought into care.

Please help spread the word about how to help hedgehogs in Autumn by sharing our advice poster which you can find at – helpwildlife.co.uk/posters/AutumnHogs

Next Steps

Once you’ve established that an animal needs help you’ll ideally get them contained and get them to a wildlife rescue. You’ll find detailed advice on catching them, keeping them safe, and getting help from a wildlife rescue at https://helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/

If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Helping Foxes with Mange

With foxes living in closer quarters in urban areas, mange is unfortunately a common issue. Sarcoptic mange is caused by a mite which burrows into the skin causing intense itching. The fox then scratches causing fur loss, broken skin and then secondary infections. Left untreated, this can become fatal. We are sometimes contacted by householders concerned that a fox with mange might ‘infect’ their dog. This is unlikely (the fox and dog would need either direct contact or to lay in the same place for some time) but the best solution to this concern is to treat the fox.

Mild mange

Foxes with mild mange will have only lost fur on the tail and hip area, will have little or no ‘crustiness’ of the skin, no open wounds, and the eyes will be bright and clear.

For decades, wildlife rescue organisations have been providing a remedy which can be added to the food of foxes with mange. This has a certain degree of controversy attached as the remedy is homeopathic. Many people doubt the efficacy of homeopathy but, without getting into a wider discussion about homeopathy as a whole, all we can say is that we have seen this remedy work for literally hundreds of foxes. Some might suggest that the remedy itself does nothing but the extra food provided enables the fox to recover – maybe. But as long as the fox recovers, that’s all that really matters.

The remedy has the advantage that it is safe for all animals and cannot be overdosed. Further information and sources of the remedy can be found on the following sites

The Fox Project
Pet Perfection
Wildlife Aid
The National Fox Welfare Society

Some organisations suggest treating the fox on-site with a veterinary medication. The difficulties here are
– the medication is only available from a veterinarian
– the target fox must consume the entire dose on a strict schedule
– if the fox is pregnant or nursing, the babies could be harmed by the treatment
– if the medication is consumed by pets or other wildlife, they could be killed

Moderate or Severe Mange

If the fur loss extends beyond the hindquarters, the skin is crusty or broken, or the eye lids swollen or oozing, the on-site treatment will likely not suffice. In this case, the fox will need to be caught with a cage trap and admitted into a wildlife rescue for treatment. This is obviously a stressful experience and can lead to the death of cubs if it’s a nursing female so should be a last resort.

Finding Help

You can find rescues in your area by putting your location into the search facility at helpwildlife.co.uk/map and you’ll find detailed advice on getting help from a wildlife rescue at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/. If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Wildlife in Urban Areas

We often receive enquiries from people concerned about seeing wildlife in what are perceived as unusual or unsuitable locations. Most commonly these enquiries relate to Deer, Rabbits or Hedgehogs seen in built up areas.

Our wildlife is increasingly becoming comfortable with urban areas, perhaps because urbanisation means we are building on their habitats but also because living close to people can bring some benefits. Hedgehogs, for example, may do better in urban areas due to lower numbers of badgers. In the case of Deer, populations are rising since they no longer have any natural predators so they are having to become more ‘open-minded’ about how they live in order to find territories and opportunities for food. Sometimes we have an image of how certain species live which doesn’t fit with the reality. For example, we might think of deer living in large groups and roaming across moorland, and while this may be true for Red Deer, smaller species like Roe and Muntjac tend to live solitarily outside of the breeding season and are small and agile enough to move easily through gardens and allotments which offer a rich buffet of edible delights.

Sometimes those contacting us are concerned that the animals are trapped. As a rule, if an animal could get into an area such as a garden, they can get back out again. Deer can quite easily hop fences and hedgehogs and rabbits can tunnel under them. The exception is if the way out is significantly different to the way in e.g. if they have fallen into a lower area and cannot climb out.

Although living in urban areas does present risks to wildlife – road accidents, dog attacks, litter etc – it is very rarely the right thing to intervene and remove a wild animal from an urban environment that they have chosen as their home. Capturing a healthy wild animal is an extremely stressful experience for them and, in the case of Deer in particular, can be dangerous for humans and potentially fatal for the animal due to capture myopathy. In some cases, it might mean separating animals from group or family members which would be detrimental to their welfare. An animal taken from their territory and moved to another, especially when this involves a dramatic change in environment such as moving from an urban to a rural area, is likely to experience considerable distress and difficulty in adapting and actually becomes more likely to become injured or killed as they frantically attempt to evade others of their species whose territories they may have invaded, establish a new territory, and find food and shelter.

In summary, as long as there are no visible injuries or illnesses and the animal is not trapped (i.e. the way out of where they are is not significantly different to the way in), there is no need to be concerned about the presence of wild animals in built up areas.

Helping Animals with a Limp

Leg injuries are very common in wildlife, especially at busy times of year such as breeding season. In most cases, the cause is a sprain or strain and the stress of bringing the animal into captivity outweighs the benefits to them. But a animal with a complete fracture or open wound may well need some help.

The descriptions below are a general guide to help you to ascertain the type of injury and what the best course of action is. If in doubt, please contact a wildlife rescue for advice. The four major types of injury are

Sprain/strain

Usually animals with this sort of injury will hold the leg up or ‘hobble’ on it periodically. The leg will probably appear normal i.e. no visible wound, swelling, or deformity. In these cases, there is little that can be done in a wildlife rescue to help so we advise continuing to monitor and support the animal with food. Not having to work so hard to find food will help them to heal but, even so, it will likely take a few weeks to improve.

Closed fracture

Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, this may appear much like a sprain. If the fracture is lower down the leg, it may just be held up or used less. In this case, the fracture is stable and will usually heal itself in a few weeks. However, if the leg below the fracture is hanging loose or swinging about, the animal will need to go to a wildlife rescue for treatment.

Wound or swelling

This can happen with or without a fracture. You may see blood or exposed flesh and the leg may appear swollen. In warmer weather you may see flies buzzing round it. Here the animal is at risk of fly strike or severe infection and is in need of help.

Open fracture

This is a combination of a break and a wound. The broken bones have pierced the animal’s skin and this leaves them at severe risk of infection. Usually you’ll see the leg hanging loosely as well as an open wound. This animal definitely needs help.

Note: Hedgehogs commonly get leg injuries but it’s difficult to get a good look at their legs due to their physiology. In our experience most hedgehog leg injuries tend to need treatment so if you see a limping hedgehog please contain them and contact a wildlife rescue.

Finding Help

You can find rescues in your area by putting your location into the search facility at helpwildlife.co.uk/map and you’ll find detailed advice on getting help from a wildlife rescue at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/. If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Ducks nesting away from a water source

A mallard and her babies in a garden

Every year wildlife rescues get many calls about ducks (usually mallards) nesting in gardens, on balconies, or even in hanging baskets. Householders are, understandably, concerned that there may not be sufficient food or water, or that the babies are vulnerable to cats and other predators.

Why do ducks nest in silly places?

During Spring, water bodies become very crowded and female ducks are subjected to a lot of ‘attention’ from the males. Consequently, females will often seek to hatch their eggs in quieter locations. Once the eggs hatch, Mum will walk them to a suitable body of water and raise them there.

Is this safe?

Nesting high up, such as on a balcony or in a hanging basket, may not be a disaster. Many species of duck nest in trees and their babies then leap from the nest after hatching. As the ducklings are so small and light they can survive a considerable fall without damage. However, this tactic doesn’t work so well when the nest is several stories up, the nearby body of water is a garden pond or swimming pool,  when the closest body of water is more than walking distance away, or when getting to water involves crossing busy roads. If Mum tries to raise the babies away from a suitable water body, there won’t be enough food or water for them and the babies will be very vulnerable to predators.

What action is needed?

The best solution is to stop the problem from occurring at all. If you see a pair of mallards hanging around an unsuitable nesting area during Spring or Summer, it’s kindest in the long run to discourage them. Simply going out and flapping your arms to ‘shoo’ them away should do it.

If you’re too late and Mum lays her eggs, try to note when they are laid and contact a wildlife rescue to get them onboard as early as possible. They will be able to calculate when the eggs are likely to hatch and when intervention is needed.

Once the eggs hatch it’s best not to try to intervene yourself. A skilled rescuer will be able to either help Mum get to a pond, or catch her so that the whole family can be relocated together. If you try to catch any of the family yourself, you could end up scaring Mum away and then the babies will have to be raised in captivity. If you are able, without disturbing them, a headcount of the ducklings will help the rescuer to ensure that they are all caught and none get left behind.

Finding Help

You can find rescues in your area by putting your location into the search facility at helpwildlife.co.uk/map and you’ll find detailed advice on getting help from a wildlife rescue at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/. If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.

Airplane Wing

A Canada Goose with bilateral Airplane Wing

Rescues receive many calls each year about waterfowl with apparently broken wings. Usually, if a wing is broken, it will hang down rather than be tucked up against the body. If the wing is sticking out at a right angle to the body then it’s most likely a deformity known as airplane or angel wing.

What is Airplane Wing?

Also know as Angel Wing, this is a deformity which causes the final section of the wing, equivalent to our hand, to stick out perpendicular to the body. It can affect one wing or both.

What causes the issue?

The exact cause of the problem is not definitively known. There is some speculation that a diet high in bread may be a cause but this is not proven and the condition has also been recorded in birds who have not been fed bread. It’s likely there is a genetic element as well.

What can be done?

If the condition is spotted in a developing young bird then it’s possible that strapping the wing and providing a good diet may reverse the problem. For this reason, it’s always worth contacting a wildlife rescue for a young bird with this issue.

In adults the situation is less clear. There will not be any treatment for the condition so an assessment will need to be made as to whether moving the bird is in their best interest. In the right environment, a bird affected with airplane wing can lead a pretty normal life. They will need to live in a location where there is plenty of food, where others of their species are permanently resident, and where there is an island in the water that they can go to for protection for predators. If these elements are in place, the bird is likely best left with their flock in their home territory.

An Egyptian Goose with one affected wing

If these elements are not in place then a wildlife rescue should be contacted for advice. It may be that the bird can be relocated to a more suitable location where they will have better food and shelter. However,  there are unfortunately legal issues with helping Canada Geese and Egyptian Geese as they are considered an invasive species. Do check that the organisation you contact is able to relocate the bird rather than cull them.

Finding Help

You can find rescues in your area by putting your location into the search facility at helpwildlife.co.uk/map and you’ll find detailed advice on getting help from a wildlife rescue at helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/practical-advice-for-finders/. If you are unsure whether to intervene or you have difficulty finding a rescue who can help, you can contact us via helpwildlife.co.uk/helpdesk and our volunteers will give you advice and support.