Vets offered help as wildlife orphan season approaches

One of the UK’s busiest wildlife rescue centres is calling for closer links between wildlife charities and commercial vet practices as it gears up for a potentially record-breaking orphan season.

Wildlife Aid Foundation (WAF) in Surrey is offering video conference consultations to veterinary groups that will cover best practice for some of the most common orphan season incidents vets are likely to face.

Busiest season

Last spring WAF experienced its busiest orphan season to date and several other rescue centres reported a similar rise in admissions.

It is thought this was as result of reduced human activity combined with more people reconnecting with nature during the first lockdown.

A 2016 study by the University of Portsmouth found that 160,000 wild animals are taken to commercial vets each year and more than half of vets surveyed admitted they did not have enough knowledge about how to treat them.

Be prepared

WAF chief executive Simon Cowell said: “In an ideal world, commercial practices should familiarise themselves with wild animal protocols over the coming weeks so they are prepared and have their own plans in place should they receive wildlife.

“We are here to help and can provide consultation for the large group companies; closer collaboration will improve the chances for the tens of thousands of orphans that we’ll see in the coming months.”

Triage service

Mr Cowell added that he understood the commercial imperative for vets and hoped that perhaps they could act as triage for any wildlife, which could then be passed to charity rescue centres for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.

He said: “In the first instance, it’s important for commercial practices to be aware of what might start coming through their doors and to plan for how to treat it in the best way that gives it a chance of getting back to the wild.”