If you have found an animal that you believe needs help, please choose from the
following 8 options. You will be given instructions on what to do and who to contact.
Remember that it is important to respect all forms of wildlife and even though we mean
well, we must know when not to interfere and unnecessarily take them from their natural
home.
Click on the type of emergency care you require. For a list of Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators, click here.
1. Critically injured and needs emergency care during regular hours...
2. Song bird, pigeon….. one that nests in trees, or a pigeon,..
3. Ducks, geese, swans, turkeys, hawks and owls…
4. Squirrel , or other small mammal …
5. Cottontail rabbit or a nest of newborn bunnies…
6. Raccoon, skunk, fox, or bat,..
7. Deer…
8. A turtle, or any other reptile or amphibian …
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During regular business hours, the following animal hospitals volunteer their services to
help injured wildlife: Please call them first:
Somers Animal Hospital in Somers 277-3628
Brewster Veterinary Hospital in Brewster 845-279-5053
Central Animal Hospital in Scarsdale 723-1250
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If you have found a bird that appears to be sick, injured or in danger, call the following
wildlife rehabilitators immediately: Joanne - 476-1370, Jill- 967-7826, Patty – 548-
1822, and Suzi at 845-424-4354
In the meantime, gently place the bird in a cardboard box lined with a soft cloth..
Keep it warm, dark, and quiet. Please do not handle it nor give it anything to eat or drink
until you speak with one of us.
If it is a naked baby bird and you cannot find its nest , fill a zip-lock plastic
bag with hot water, make sure it does not leak; wrap it in a cloth and put it under the little
bird. The extra warmth can save its life...
If the bird has most of its feathers and is hopping around on the ground it might
be a fledgling. It just left its nest and has not yet learned to fly. Mom and dad are still
feeding it although you may not see them. If it seems healthy, back away and observe
from a distance. If you see an adult bird approach the youngster, leave the area… the
baby is safe.
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If you see a baby duck or goose alone with no parents in sight …. it is in trouble
and needs your help. Call the following wildlife rehabilitators immediately- Joanne -
476-1370, Ellen -792-4642, Marilyn- 739-3120, Jill- -967-7826, and
Maggie -845-669-4687.
In the meantime, gently place the baby in a cardboard box with soft bedding. Do
not give it anything to eat or drink until you speak with one of us. Keep the baby dry and
warm. Do not let it go in water as it will get chilled. As an extra source of heat fill a zip
lock plastic bag with hot water, make sure it does not leak, wrap a cloth around it and put
it next to the baby.
For injured game birds such as wild turkeys, pheasants, and other ground
birds, use a towel to cover the entire bird as you place them in the box. They are very
scared in captivity and need to be stress free in a warm, dark, and quiet place.
If you have found a bird of prey such as a hawk, or owl, do not attempt to handle it.
Call us immediately or our rapture specialists, Nancy at 245-3990, and
Suzi at 845-
424-4354.
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If you have found an adult squirrel or small mammal and it appears to be sick, or
injured, call the following licensed rehabilitators immediately. - Joanne - 476-1370,
Paula at 522-5945, Ellen --792-4642, Marilyn- 739-3120, Valerie – 248-7241 and
Maggie -845-669-4687.
In the meantime, secure it in a container lined with a towel. Be sure to wear gloves.
Keep it warm, dark and quiet and do not give it anything to eat or drink until you speak
with us.
If you see a young healthy squirrel without its mother, and it can climb up a tree,
it’s best to leave it alone unless it is in immediate danger.
If you found a baby squirrel with its eyes sealed shut and has little or no fur, you
can place the baby on a hot water bottle made from a zip lock bag filled with very warm
water and place it at the base of the tree. Very often mother will find it and return it to
the nest. Watch from far away as mom will not come if you are there. Watch for
predators as well. If she does not come in an hour, put the little one in a lined box with
the warm water bag.
Baby squirrels are very cute, but do not attempt to raise the animal yourself. They
do not make good pets, it is illegal and they require a special diet, housing and care.
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If you have found a sick, or injured cottontail rabbit, secure it in a box, lined with a
soft cloth and call the following wildlife rehabilitators immediately. Valerie at 248-7241,
Paula at 522-5945 and Maggie at 845-669-4687.
A typical bunny nest is a shallow scrape in the ground, covered with fur and grass,
often in the middle of a lawn. When the nest is discovered, very often people think that
the babies are abandoned. This is not true! Mother rabbit only visits the nest at night to
avoid attracting attention to it. The young rabbits leave the nest at a very early age and
are independent and quite small. If you have found a rabbit nest in your yard, please do
your best not to disturb it for the few weeks that it takes.
If you are not sure mother is feeding them, cross two twigs over the nest in the
evening. Check the nest first thing in the morning. If the twigs have moved, then mother
is evidently caring for the babies. If it is untouched, then the babies may be orphaned.
Call us right away .
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If you are calling about a raccoon, skunk, fox, or bat, please do not touch the
animal but call immediately the following rabies certified wildlife rehabilitators:
Paula
at 522-5945, Ellen at 792-4642, and Georgie at 260-6273 .
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If you see a baby deer, which is a fawn, all alone either in a yard or by the side of
the road, and there is no apparent injury, or flies around it, this is totally normal. Mother
is nearby, watching from the bushes. Fawns are born with perfect camouflage, no scent,
and an instinct to stay put. Please do not kidnap the baby. Unless the mother has been
killed, she will return several times a day, just to feed it. The local police would know
whether or not there is a dead or injured deer in the vicinity.
If you are not sure, or the deer is injured, please call the following wildlife
specialists: Ellen at 792-4642, Marilyn at 739-3120, Paula, at 522-5945, Mary at 845-
454-8181, Somers Animal hospital at 277-3628 and Brewster Veterinary Hospital at
845-279-5053.
If an adult deer has been critically injured and is suffering, please call your local
police for help.
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If you see a turtle in the middle of a road, please stop and make sure it has
crossed to safety. Do not touch it as it may be a snapping turtle. If it is already injured,
wear protective gloves, carefully slide it into a container, and immediately call the
following wildlife rehabilitators for help: Ellen at 792-4642, Marilyn- 739-3120, Paula-
522-5945, Mary at 845-454-8181
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We hope this has helped you and we thank you for being compassionate and
helping a little critter in need. Our best wishes for both of you.
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators
Irvington/ Greenburgh - Ellen Lewit - all animals - 914-792-4642 RVS
Croton/Mt Vernon - Paula Young - all animals - 914-522-5945 RVS
Yonkers - Joanne Dreeben - all birds, small mammals - 914-476-1370
fed. permit
Dee Dee McKinnon - small mammals - 914-963-7772
Poughkeepsie /Cortlandt - Mary Schnittert – all mammals, birds, reptiles/amphibians - 845-
454-8181
Carmel/Armonk - Maggie Ciarcia - all mammals, birds - 845-669-4687
Cortlandt Manor - Marilyn Eichenholtz - all mammals, birds - 914-739-3120
Briarcliff Manor - Nancy Goldmark - small mammals,birds/ raptures- 914-245-3990
fed. permit
Rye - Jill Doornick - small mammals, all birds – 914-967-7826 fed permit
Shenorock/Somers - Valerie Palen - small mammals - – 914-248-7241
Mahopac/Greenburgh - Georgie Turer - all animals - 914-260- 6273 RVS
Somers Animal Hospital - Jennifer Bowman - small mammals, all birds - 914-277-3686
Somers - Anne Rockmore - small mammals, game birds, rep/amp –
914-277-6078
North Salem - Tobe Wilson - all mammals, all birds - 914-669-9694
Paul Kupchok - all mammals, all birds/raptures - 914-669-8023
fed permit
Bedford - Edward Parchment , game birds- 914-234-6160- all mammals |