Our staff carry out many wildlife rescues and we have four wildlife centres that admit over 18,000 wild animals each year.
Download our rehabilitation factsheet Back to the wild.
The RSPCA has developed standards for the rehabilitation of wildlife, with the help of people within and outside of the RSPCA, including our inspectorate, vets, wildlife experts and rehabilitators.
Tough choices
Our ultimate aim is the successful release of all wild animals back to the wild, ideally back to the area where they were found where possible (if known).
However our work is to improve the welfare of casualty wildlife and knowing that wild animals get stressed easily in captivity, we have to consider whether treating it will do more harm than good.
We think it's unfair to put wild animals through a traumatic experience if their chances of recovery and release are low, so those that are unlikely to survive in the wild are put to sleep.