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Unsure if an animal is injured?
If you’ve found a wild animal you think may be in distress, but can’t clearly tell if they’re sick or injured, make sure to:
- Protect your own safety: Don’t put yourself at risk to help an animal.
- Initially keep a safe distance away: Assess whether it's safe to approach. With large animals or in dangerous locations, it’s safest to stay back. With others, such as an entangled rabbit or hurt hedgehog, it’s okay to get closer, but do so carefully. Wild animals can be highly stressed by human presence.
- Report your concern to us: Or call us on 0300 123 8960.
Injured animals
Find out how to help a sick or injured wild animal
We can all play a role in helping distressed or injured wildlife get the care they need. If you’ve found an injured animal, or one that seems ill or in pain, click on the species cards below for information on how to safely help them.
These pages share RSPCA wildlife advice, explaining what to do, whether to approach the animal or leave them alone, when to report, how to help and who to call for injured wildlife.
Beneath the species section, you’ll also find out how you can do the best thing for a wild animal’s welfare with our general advice on:
- Sick or injured small wild animals
- Sick or injured large wild animals
- Baby wild animals
- Wild animals found in the road
- Dead wild animals
Due to the injuries sustained and ways in which wild animals have been treated by people before our intervention, our vets often have to make difficult decisions. Sadly, euthanasia is sometimes in the best interest of the animal’s welfare – to prevent further physical or mental suffering if they can't be rehabilitated. Read more about our euthanasia policy here.
Birds
Swifts, swallows and house martins
Other wildlife
Frogs and toads
Snakes
Bird flu warning
Don’t touch or handle sick or dead birds. However, if you have to, thoroughly wash your hands immediately afterwards, keeping them away from your face or food. Due to the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) currently in place across the UK, some birds can't be handled.
Found a small injured animal
We define a small wild mammal as the same size as a rabbit or smaller, or a wild bird the size of a chicken, duck or smaller.
In some situations, the best thing to do is leave them alone, or watch and wait from a distance, while in others they may desperately need rescuing.
To identify if a small wild animal is sick, injured or in distress, look for the following signs:
- Has an obvious sign of injury: Like a cut or broken leg.
- Appears wobbly: They’re staggering, wobbly, walking in circles or seem lethargic (slow and sluggish).
- They don’t run away if approached: If you’re able to get near them without them fleeing (although for their safety and yours, try not to get too close) it’s likely to mean they’re very unwell, as an adult wild animal would usually run or fly away.
- You can see blood: Or they have maggots on or around them.
Dos and don'ts
If you find a small wild animal in need, you’ve read our advice above, and think you need to step in, follow this general guidance:
Do
- Monitor from a distance: Keep your eye on the animal while looking for signs of injury. Keep a good distance away for your own safety and to not distress the animal. If the animal seems uninjured, safe and well, you can leave them alone.
- If they are injured, take them to the vet: More often than not, the quickest and best way to help an injured small wild animal is to take it to your nearest vet. If you’re happy to handle the animal, a homemade wildlife rescue box is the best way to transport them. Make sure to protect yourself with thick gloves and eye protection, and keep contact with the animal to a minimum.
- Watch our videos on how to pick up and transport small animals:
- Report your concern: If you’re still unsure, or unable to rescue the animal, let us know and we’ll provide advice to get them the help they need. We have to prioritise cases of animal cruelty and neglect.
Note: If you find any of these wild animals in the road, find out what to do below.
Don't
- Don’t touch the animal: Especially if they’re a sick or injured bird (to prevent the spread of bird flu), or a venomous animal, like an adder (never handle an adder yourself). If you have to touch the animal – to take them to the vet, for example – try to avoid any injuries or open wounds, always wear gloves, protect your face and wash your hands after.
- Don’t let your pets near them: Wild animals may become scared and stressed if your pet approaches them. Keep dogs on leads and away from the scene.
- Don’t panic: Whether you take them to the vet or call the RSPCA, you’ve done the best thing for their welfare. Thank you!
- Don’t put yourself at risk: Only help the animal if it’s safe to do so. If it’s not, call us on 0300 123 8960 or report your concern, and make a note of their location.
For baby animals, see our advice below.
Examples of animals that are small enough to transport yourself
Wild mammals (the size of a rabbit or smaller):
- Rabbits
- Mice
- Hedgehogs
- Squirrels
Wild birds (the size of a chicken, duck or smaller):
- Blackbirds
- Crows
- Ducks
- Pheasants
- Pigeons
- Gull fledglings/nestlings (fluffy feathers)
- Goslings and cygnets
- Nestlings/fledglings of the above small species (however, these are most often best left alone – see our advice on baby animals below)
Found a large injured animal
We define larger wild animals as bigger than a cat, or waterbirds the size of a gull or bigger, birds of prey or sea birds.
These are potentially more dangerous than small animals and shouldn’t be handled, especially when they’re sick, injured or distressed, as they may feel vulnerable and become aggressive.
Note: If you find any babies of larger animals, follow our advice on baby animals below. Some of these large animals’ babies shouldn’t be handled, like snakes, and marine mammals such as seals.
Dos and don'ts
If it’s unclear whether the animal is injured or not, make sure you:
Do
- Monitor them from a distance: Watch and wait for an hour or two, keeping a safe distance away. They may recover and wander off.
- Look for signs of injury: Such as a cut, broken leg or open wounds, or they’re staggering, wobbly, walking in circles or seem lethargic (slow and sluggish).
- See if they flee as you get closer: We don’t advise approaching them, however, if you’re able to get closer to them than they’d normally tolerate, it likely means something’s wrong – usually, they’d run or fly off.
- Get in touch: If they’re still there after a time, and it’s clear they need help, call us at 0300 123 8960 or report your concern (and make a note of their location). Please don’t try to rescue the animal yourself as this could risk both your and their safety.
Don't
- Don’t attempt to approach or touch them: An animal that’s injured or distressed may feel scared or threatened if approached, and could react aggressively. For your safety and theirs, don’t try to pick them up or touch them.
- Don’t let your pets near them: Pets may make the animal feel threatened and become aggressive. Keep your dogs on leads and away from the injured animal.
- Don’t panic: By monitoring them and calling us for help, you’re doing the best thing for their welfare. Thank you for playing your part.
- Don’t put yourself at risk: If you find them on a busy road, a railway, or another dangerous location, don’t put yourself in harm's way to help them. Only do so if it’s safe, otherwise call us on 0300 123 8960 or report your concern and make a note of their location.
Note: If you find any of these animals in the road, find out what to do below.
Examples of wild animals you shouldn’t transport yourself
Wild animals:
- Badgers (and cubs)
- Beavers
- Foxes (and cubs)
- Deer
- Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc)
- Otters
- Seals (and pups)
- Snakes (including adders as they’re venomous so should never be handled)
- Wild boar
Wild birds:
- Adult and fledgling gulls
- Any bird with signs of disease (avian flu)
- Birds of prey (including their nestlings/fledglings)
- Cormorants
- Geese
- Gulls
- Herons
- Owls
- Swans
Be careful, wild animals can bite and scratch
Many wild animals, when hurt or afraid, may become aggressive if you get too close. Try to keep a safe distance away from an injured animal, unless they’re small enough for you to rescue yourself. If so, approach slowly and protect your face, arms and hands before doing so – don’t put yourself at risk to rescue an animal.
Watch our videos on how to safely handle small mammals, or read more on staying safe when handling an injured wild animal.
Found a baby animal
If you’ve found a baby animal that appears injured or sick, take them to a vet. If they’re too large to handle, or are in a dangerous location (such as a busy road) call us at 0300 123 8960 or report your concern. Be aware your vet may decide the best thing for that animal is euthanasia, which is a difficult decision to make, but is often in the best interest of the suffering animal.
Dos and don'ts
If they otherwise appear healthy and are in a safe place, no matter the species, make sure you:
Do
- Leave them alone: Removing them from their parents or their nest can often do more harm than good. Keep a safe distance away so you don’t disturb them.
- Look for a parent: They may not actually be alone, a parent could be nearby.
- Watch and wait: If they are alone but the animal appears healthy, monitor quietly from afar. A lot of the time the parent has simply gone to forage. Wait to see if they return.
Don't
- Don’t touch or take them: Make sure to leave them alone – touching a baby animal can leave your scent on them, which will often prevent the parent from accepting them back (only move them if they’re injured or in immediate danger).
- Don’t let your pets near them: Keep any dogs on a lead, and keep both cats and dogs away from baby animals.
- Don’t panic: By keeping an eye on them and calling the RSPCA, you’re doing the best thing for their welfare. Thank you!
However, if they are still alone after a while, or they start to appear sick or injured, take them to a vet. If you’re unable to, or they end up in a dangerous location (such as on a busy road), call us at 0300 123 8960 or report your concern. Try to make a note of the location, using landmarks, road signs or What3Words to pinpoint their exact location so we can get to them quicker.
Baby animals of different species require different types of care, meaning advice on helping a sick or injured baby won’t be the same for all species. For example, a fox cub found alone should be dealt with differently to a hoglet that’s alone. As will a baby bird on the ground versus found in a nest. For more specific advice, find out what to do if you find a baby animal of different wildlife species above.
Found an animal in the road
If an animal is in the road and poses an immediate risk to traffic and human safety, call the police on 999. If you think there’s already been a traffic accident that’s caused the animal injury or been caused by the animal’s presence, inform the police on 999. If you see an injured deer in any scenario you can also call the police and ask for a Humane Animal Dispatch (HAD) volunteer.
If the animal looks healthy and is on a motorway, A-road or a minor road, call the police on 999 – they’ll decide the best action to take for both the animal and road users.
If the animal looks injured and is on the road, call the police on 999 and us on 0300 123 8960 – we’ll provide advice to get them the help they need. We have to prioritise cases of animal cruelty and neglect.
If the animal is dead, report them to your local council (this includes both pets and wildlife, from cats to badgers). Or the police on 999 if posing a human health and safety traffic risk.
Has an animal been hit by a car?
If you hit, or see somebody else hit, a dog, badger, horse, cattle, deer, pig, goat, sheep, donkey or mule with a car, report the accident to the police on 999, whether or not the animal was killed. If the animal is small and transportable, please read our advice above and take it to a vet if it’s safe to do so.
Avoid putting yourself at risk
Don’t put yourself in harm’s way to help an animal in a dangerous location, such as a busy road, railway, river or clifftop. Only help if it’s safe to do so.
Otherwise, call us on 0300 123 8960 or report your concern.
Found a dead animal
Unfortunately, there may be sad occasions when you find an animal that’s died, whether from an accident, injury or natural causes.
Generally, if you find an animal that’s dead or appears to be (including a dead animal in the road), the best thing you can do is report them to your local council (or the police if posing a risk to human safety on a road).
However, some dead animals should be reported to the following organisations to help monitor local wildlife welfare:
Bats
Report to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) who monitor UK bat viruses, or request a Dead Bat Pack from the Bat Conservation Trust to send the bat to the APHA for testing.
Badgers
Report to the Badger Trust Reporting Centre, who work to protect badgers.
Birds
Report dead birds to Defra, who monitor the spread of avian flu (bird flu), using the online reporting system. You can also report them to the Garden Wildlife Health project.
Garden wildlife
Report dead animals such as hedgehogs and frogs to the Garden Wildlife Health project, which monitors disease threats to British garden animals.
Beached marine mammals / cetaceans
Report the marine animal by calling:
- The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) if you’re in England or Wales: 0800 652 0333
- The Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS) if you’re in Scotland: 07979245893
- Note: If you find a marine animal alive or dead, report the situation to the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) for any incidents.
Otters
Report them to:
- Environment Agency if in England: 03708 506 506 (ask for your nearest conservation or biodiversity officer).
- Natural Resources Wales if in Wales: 0300 065 3000 (ask for your nearest conservation or biodiversity officer).
- International Otter Survival Fund if in Scotland: 01471 822 487.
Swans
If you find a tagged swan, report it to the British Trust of Ornithology with the reference number on the tag.
Worried about a farm animal?
If you’ve found a farm animal that is seriously sick, injured or in need of veterinary care, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) – call 03000 200 301 in England, or 03003 038 268 in Wales – and the owner, if possible.
You should also contact APHA if you find farm animals who:
- Show signs of suffering or neglect
- Appear to have been abused or mistreated
- Are stranded, stuck or trapped
- Straying from the farm
If you find a farm animal on the road, report them to the police:
- Call 999 if they’re on a motorway or A-road
- Call 101 if they’re on a minor road
Report any dead farm animals found to your local authority.
Worried about a pet?
If you think a pet might be sick or injured, you should:
- Try to find their owner: And advise them to take their pet to the vet.
- If unable to, contact your local authority: If no owner is around, get in touch with local authority who may be able to help.
- If urgent, take them to the vet: If no owner is nearby and the animal is severely ill or injured, if you’re happy to, take the animal to the vet, making sure to take the necessary precautions (protect your face and arms, get a pet carrier if possible and don’t risk your own safety).
If you can’t help this pet yourself or find anyone else to, please call us on 0300 123 8960 – but please understand that our frontline officers may not be able to attend if they are busy with cruelty and neglect reports.
For a pet suffering from cruelty or neglect, report your concern to us.
Worried about a horse?
If you think a horse is sick, injured or in need of veterinary care, try to notify the owner. Most owners care deeply for their animals and will make arrangements to have them looked at by their vet.
If you're unsure how to find the owner, you should:
- Look on fences and gates for 'in case of emergency' signs
- Look for nearby stables and barns
- Knock on the door of nearby houses – even if the horse isn't theirs, they may have contact details of the owner
- Post on local community groups like WhatsApp, Facebook or NextDoor
If you can’t find the owner and the horse needs urgent care, contact a local equine vet for advice – they’ll advise on the best way to get the horse the help they need.
If you think the horse has been neglected or is a victim of cruelty, contact us on 0300 123 8960 or report your concern.