• If you have found what you believe to be orphaned wildlife, please use consult with an expert before handling the animal. Many wildlife babies are abducted each year by well meaning people. Wildlife’s best chance at survival is always with its mom. We will ask you to try to reunite whenever possible. Please do not intervene with wildlife unless you are certain the animal needs help. (See ‘Species Info’ & ‘Wildlife Facts’ tabs for more info)

• If you find wildlife with obvious injuries & they are unable to walk, fly, or don’t try to run away from you, it needs help. In these situations, we will ask that you try to contain the animal. The exception to this will be adult deer, geese (depending on injuries), and rabies vector species.

• ANY animal that has been in a cat’s mouth needs to get to a rehabber immediately, even if you don’t see puncture wounds. Cat saliva is toxic to wildlife & antibiotics are required.

• If you do need to contain an animal, we recommend using a ventilated box to hold most species. Place a sheet, blanket, or shredded newspaper in the bottom for them to grip. Don’t use a towel because claws can get stuck / injured.

• To protect yourself, never approach or attempt to rescue an animal who is behaving abnormally (staggering/ walking in circles), or that shows signs of disease (salivating or discharge from the nose) and ALWAYS wear thick gloves if you choose to handle wildlife.

• If you have found an adult rabies vector species that needs help, (ie: raccoon, fox, bat, etc), please do not handle! Call for help

• DO NOT GIVE THE ANIMAL ANY FOOD, MILK, or WATER unless instructed to do so by a licensed rehabber. Do NOT trust Google.

• It is illegal to take care of wildlife in the state of Georgia without a license to do so. Ensure whomever you are handing off wildlife to is a licensed professional. Would you want an ambulance to drop you off after an accident with a neighbor who raised a human once??

• While transporting wildlife, please keep the animal in a dark, quiet place away from pets and people. An animal may seem calm but may be in shock. Stressed animals can die from heart attacks and/or stress.

• Do not hold or pet the animal, keep your interaction to a minimum and begin looking for help immediately

Go to the tab “SPECIES INFO” for info regarding specific animals.

See our tab titled “Rehabbers” for a list of our most frequently used wildlife rehabbers and their contact numbers, as well as the species they rehab. There are also links to some of these below.

You can also use the free app ANIMAL HELP NOW or AHNOW.org to find a licensed rehabber nearest.

You can find a list of licensed rehabbers on the GA DNR website: DNR

For severely injured deer, sick raccoons, or for help capturing birds of prey, you can reach out to the GA DNR Ranger Hotline at 800-241-4113 and ask for the Urban Wildlife Program.

If you have completed all steps above and still need assistance, please TEXT us at 404-954-0093 including a photo of the animal, your location, and the situation you need assistance with.

Please note, Georgia Wildlife Network is a 501(c)(3) operated entirely by volunteers. We manage over 1k cases a month in peak seasons. We will respond to your message as soon as possible. Please be patient and follow instructions on this site. GWN transportation is available based solely on volunteer availability in your area at the time of need. We encourage finders to transport animals to rehabbers immediately except in extreme circumstances. Rehabbers DO NOT come to pickup injured wildlife, as they often have dozens, if not hundreds, of animals they are caring for.