Sick or Injured Wildlife
If you notice injured wildlife on the side of the road in the City of Ryde, please stop and call one of the following organisations:
Sydney Wildlife Rescue
Sydney Wildlife Rescue is a rescue organisation that is active in the greater Sydney Metropolitan Area. Their mission is to rescue and care for sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife and to safely release them back into the wild.
Call Sydney Wildlife 24/7 on 02 9413 4300.
Wildlife Rescue Australia
Wildlife Rescue Australia is a not-for-profit, voluntary organisation which operates an Australia-wide, 24/7 Call Centre.
Call Wildlife Rescue Australia on 1300 596 457 to report a sick, injured or orphaned animal.
WIRES (Wildlife Information, Rescue, and Education Service)
If you find a sick, injured, or orphaned native animal, call a wildlife rescue organization straight away. Improper rescue can hurt or distress the animal and the rescuer. It is critical to get sick and injured wildlife vet treatment as quickly as possible.
24/7 Emergency Hotline: 1300 094 737 (13 000 WIRES)
Website: www.wires.org.au
When Calling in a Rescue, Report the Exact Location
When reporting rescues to WIRES and vets, please try to confirm the EXACT location you found the animal. This is because many native animals are very territorial, so it's critical that, when they are ready for release, we return them "home" to ensure their best chance of survival.
In addition, if they know the exact location the animal was found, many young animals have a better chance of possibly being reunited with their parents.
Certain Animals Should NOT Be Approached
If you encounter a sick, injured, or orphaned animal on the list below, call a wildlife rescue organization straight away. These animals require specialist handling and MUST be rescued by trained wildlife rescuers.
What to do while you wait
After calling a wildlife rescue organization you can
- Remove any threat to the animal.
This includes keeping all people and pets away from the native animal, to minimise stress to the animal for vet transport or until a rescuer arrives.
- If it is safe to do so, contain the animal in a warm, dark, quiet place.
For example, gently wrap the animal in a towel and place it in a ventilated box with a lid, cover the box or container with a towel, and transport it carefully to the nearest vet or wait for the rescuer to arrive. Handle the animal as little as possible to minimise stress.
- Do not give the animal any food or water, unless instructed to by a vet or WIRES.