For the safety of all involved, we have made some changes to the animal admission process in order to better maintain recommended social distancing. Here is what to expect if you find a wild animal in need of care:
Wildlife
Admitting
Procedure
If you have found an injured, ill or orphaned wild animal you believe is in need of assistance, Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Center is here to help.
1. Most importantly, please be sure to CALL FIRST to schedule an appointment. Please do not come to the Wildlife Center without calling first. We can be reached at (608) 287-3235 from approximately 9:00am until 5:00pm. Please leave a message if we do not answer, and we will call you back as soon as we are able. Please be patient as we are busy caring for the hundreds of patients we already have in care. If you already have an animal contained, please do not feed or handle the animal, and keep it in a quiet location until we call you back.
2. We may request a photo to be e-mailed or texted to us to help determine if the animal needs to come into care. Our e-mail address is wildlife@giveshelter.org and our text number is (608) 960-8328 (this number does not accept calls). During baby season, this is more important so that no one makes a trip for a healthy baby that does not need help. Reuniting information for healthy orphans can be found on our website at www.giveshelter.org/wildlife-center/orphaned-wild-animal.
3. If we determine the animal should come in for care, we will gather all the information we need from you to complete our admission form over the phone, and then give you an appointment time to arrive at the wildlife center with the animal.
4. Please secure the animal for transportation in a ventilated container that you do not need returned. We will be unable to return transportation containers at this time. For information on how to safely contain a wild animal, click here.
5. When you arrive at the Wildlife Center, place the container with the animal secured inside at the drop-off location just to the left of the Wildlife Center building door.
6. Ring the doorbell outside of the door to let our staff know the animal has been dropped off.
7. Wildlife staff will come out to pick up the animal from the drop off site after you have left the site.
Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging time, and for continuing to care about the well-being of the wild animals that we share the earth with.
