Always seek professional advice first if you find an animal in distress.
If a rehabilitator is not readily available, call a local veterinarian to see if they, or another animal clinic, will accept the injured animal for emergency care. Otherwise, time is wasted by transporting an animal if the vet cannot care for it.
Emergency conditions include the animal appearing thin, cold, and weak with a sunken belly; flies circling and/or landing on it; an open bleeding wound; an apparent fractured limb or wing; the mother is known to be dead or there are dead siblings in the area.
If a vet will accept the animal, use these tips to make its transportation as safe and stress free as possible.
Never attempt to capture an animal unless you feel confident that you can do it safely without harm to yourself or the animal.
Always use gloves to prevent the transfer of diseases, to protect your hands and the animal.
Have an appropriate container ready before capturing the animal. It should be large enough for the animal to turn around in with a little extra room, it should have a cover, ventilation holes, a soft cloth on the bottom and be sturdy enough to secure the animal (for example, a squirrel can quickly chew through a cardboard box).
Try to make the capture as quick and stress-free for the animal as possible. Try to corner the animal and encourage it to run into your container without being touched by you.
Do not provide water or food unless advised by the veterinarian.
Once the animal is captured, transport it immediately. Keep the environment in your vehicle quiet and warm.
For a list of wildlife rehabilitators in Massachusetts go to www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/wildlife-rehabilitation.html.