If you already have a wild animal contained, keep it warm and dry in a quiet place away from people and pets. 

Please DO NOT offer food or water. Doing so most often causes more harm due to dietary sensitivities of wildlife and/or improper feeding technique. 

Contact the Wildlife Rescue Center at (636) 394-1880 or animalcare@mowildlife.org if you have found a wild animal that:

• Has obvious injuries or illness including wounds, bleeding, broken bones, or discharge from eyes or nose

• Has been in the mouth of a dog or cat

• Has flies swarming around it, fly eggs (look like tiny grains of rice in fur, on skin, or in clumps) or maggots on its body

IMPORTANT: Finding a young animal alone does not necessarily mean it needs "help" from a human. Wild babies are sometimes left alone while their parent(s) look for food. Many wild babies are accidentally "kidnapped" every year by people with the best intentions. It is so common, wildlife rehabilitators have a code for it: "abduction with intent to rescue." If the young animal has no apparent injuries and appears/acts healthy, returning it to its parent(s) is the best course of action. 

It is always best to avoid or minimize disturbances, but wild parents will NOT automatically "abandon" their young if they've been moved or touched by humans. 

A young wild animal's best chance for survival is with its parent(s). 

Click the links below to learn more about our most common intakes, when to intervene, and how to keep wild families together. We treat a wide variety of other species not listed below. Find out more on our Wildlife We Treat page.