The Hospital

The little hospital in the middle of the 100 Acre Wood is the place where very sick wildlife are cared for. Sometimes they are placed in an incubator, sometimes in soft blankets or towels. Others are under strict medical treatment and need to be monitored hourly. Baby animals need warmth, constant attention and feeding to keep them hydrated and satisfied.

Hospital Facilities

All our patients receive the very best veterinary care available. But we also make sure that their environment is designed to help with their recovery. Our Hospital is set up with different species being kept in separate wards. Each ward has the facilities that will help our patients and support our husbandry team.

Prognosis:
Wild animals have the most remarkable powers of recovery so none should be 'put out of its misery' until a veterinary surgeon, experienced with wildlife, has had the opportunity to assess its injuries and make a diagnosis - usually at a wildlife hospital or rescue centre.

In fact, ALL wildlife causalities should be taken to or, if it is a large animal (i.e. deer, fox or raccoon), collected by a wildlife rescue group. Call 100 Acre Wood Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Always wear thick gloves to handle most birds and animals; teeth, claws and talons really do hurt!

Before embarking on any would-be rescue of a road casualty every precaution should be taken to ensure the safety of yourself and other road users and to obey the laws of the road. In particular, children should not be allowed onto the highway and should be instructed to refer any injured animal to a parent. The most important point is SEE AND BE SEEN by other road users and remember they too may see the animal and swerve to avoid it.

Take the following precautions:

1. If near a road, try to approach from the direction of the carriageway so if the animal flees it will head for the safety of the roadside not the carriageway.

2. Bend your knees and make your frame appear as small as possible.

3. Approach very slowly, stopping occasionally to assess the animal's reaction. You will be able to judge when it steels itself to flee.

4. Talk to it quietly - this will not relax it but prevents your approach being a surprise that might spark the 'flee' response.

5. If a rescue centre is called, please wait with the animal or at the site until the rescue team arrives. This applies even if the animal dies.

6. If the animal does flee from the area, note where it has gone so that any rescue teams can try to follow it.

Is the animal orphaned

An "orphan' is a young animal that is unable to care for itself and whose parents cannot be found or are known to be dead. It is natural for all young animals to explore the world alone once they leave the nest. If you have found a healthy young animal that is able to walk and is full furred or feathered, it probably does not need your help. Its parents are usually nearby, even if they are not visible. Observe the young animal from a distance for some time before calling for help.

Animal in Danger

Young wild animals in danger do not need to be taken from the wild, just protected from danger. Pets and children are the most immediate dangers to a young wild animals in your yard. Pets may attack the young animal and children may cause injury by mishandling it. Some wild animals carry diseases. Keep pets and children away from the wild animal while you assess the situation. Another danger is hypothermia. Infant animals need to be brooded and kept warm by adults. If a young animal is cold to the tough, the animal needs help. If the young animal is along a roadway, move it to a safer location, but do not endanger yourself or others to rescue it.

If the young animal appears thin, weak or injured, it should be rescued and delivered to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. If an animal has been attacked by a cat or dog, presume it is injured even if no injury is obvious. Pet attacks usually cause significant internal damage.

Songbirds and Birds of Prey:  Nestling songbirds and birds of prey (hawks & owls) usually lack feathers or are covered with down. They are not yet able to perch. These young birds must be put back into their nests or new nests need to be constructed for them. Contact a wildlife rehabilitation facility so they can assist you in identifying the species and determining the best way to get the bird back into the nest. When songbirds and birds of prey leave the nest, they are “fledglings” and have feathers. They leave the nest for short periods of time, hop along the branches and often fall out of trees. Place the fledgling on a nearby tree branch out of the reach of domestic animals (cats, dogs) Watch from a distance to assure that the adult birds continue to care for the young bird. 

Waterfowl:  Young ducks are commonly separated from the rest of the brood as they follow parents to food or water. When you find a young duckling, note the location of possible ponds and canals where the rest of the brood may be, and try to reunite the baby with its mother. Do not put a baby duck with another family or the mother may hurt it. Do not endanger yourself or others by attempting to chase young or adult waterfowl when they are on the road. 

Squirrels and Raccoons:  Squirrels and raccoons will retrieve their offspring when they fall or wander from the nest. They also have alternate nest sites if one nest is destroyed. Give the mothers plenty of time to find and rescue their young. 

Opossums: Opossums are marsupials (related to kangaroos). Their young stay in a pouch on the mother’s belly. Female opossums that have been killed by cars in spring and summer may have live young in their pouches that need to be rescued. 

Rabbits: Rabbits feed their young only at night. You will not find the female at her nest during the day. Rabbits leave the nest when they are three weeks old. A small rabbit of five inches in length, with its eyes open and ears standing up is self-sufficient and does not need your assistance.