Keep Wildlife Wild
KDWP does not offer wildlife rehabilitation services for injured or orphaned animals.
If you’ve found wildlife and aren’t sure what to do, keep reading for tips on how to help keep wildlife wild and a list of qualified, permitted wildlife rehabilitators in Kansas.
Why Leaving Wildlife Alone is Best
1. They're rarely abandoned.
Bird and animal mothers will leave their young while they search for food during the day. This is the time when the young are most vulnerable to well meaning humans. Young fawns, for example, are quite safe when left alone because their color pattern and lack of scent help them to remain undetected until their mothers return. The adult animal is probably waiting for you to leave so it can return to care for its young.
2. It's illegal to take them.
Picking up young animals is against the law. Both the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have regulations against such activity and fines can be up to $1,000. State permits are required to legally possess most species of wild animals. For some species, federal permits are required and fines are more severe.
3. They can carry disease.
Even though they may look cute and fuzzy, wild animals carry a number of potential health threats. Rabies can be transmitted from a bite or saliva contacting an open would. Distemper and rabies are the most common illnesses that household pets acquire from wild animals. Ticks and fleas borne by some animals carry lyme and other diseases. Wild animals may also carry bacteria, roundworms, tapeworms, mites, and/or protozoans that can cause diseases in humans or their pets.
4. They don't make good pets.
Although young animals may be cute and cuddly, they are wild animals. Many well-meaning people have taken young animals home, and then quickly learned that they're not equipped to handle the animal as it matures. "Adopting" young wild animals may be an irresistible urge for some people, but wild animals typically make poor pets as adults. Many people have been injured by animals that initially seemed easily tamed.
5. Human intervention often harms the animal.
Many animals taken into captivity soon die. Those that don't are denied the opportunity to learn how to survive in their natural environment, so they seldom develop the skills necessary for them to survive when they are eventually returned to the wild. Their ability to find natural foods is hindered, and the natural wariness that is learned in the wild is impaired.
Young wildlife raised in captivity often develop an attachment to humans. Upon their release to the wild, they may have little fear of people and return to make nuisances of themselves, or put themselves in danger of traffic, or attack from domestic animals. They may also be thrust as unwelcome intruders into the home range of another member of their species. And you might just relocate an animal with disease into a population that did not have the disease.
When we step back and let nature work as intended, we give wild animals their best chance to grow, survive, and stay truly wild.
Common Situations and What To Do
Baby Rabbits and Squirrels
Rabbits: If your dog or cat finds a nest of baby rabbits, gently return the bunnies to the nest. If the nest is exposed, place a flat board (about 2' x 2' or larger) over the nest, propped up on bricks so the mother can slip underneath but pets cannot. She will return to care for them once the area is quiet.
Squirrels: If you find a baby squirrel on the ground, place it in a small open box at the base of the nearest tree. The mother will retrieve her young once people and pets leave the area.Fledging Bird on the Ground
If a feathered young bird is hopping on the ground, it is likely a fledgling learning to fly. Place it in nearby shrubs or a protected spot and keep pets indoors. The parents will continue feeding it.
If it is a nestling (no feathers), gently return it to the nest. As a last resort, create a small artificial nest (e.g., a butter tub with a napkin) and secure it in a nearby tree.
Baby Raccoons
Fawns Alone in a Grass or a Field
A fawn lying alone is almost never abandoned. Return the fawn to the exact spot where you found it and leave the area. Even after a day or two, mothers often return and successfully reunite with their young. The doe was likely feeding nearby when you discovered the fawn.
Bird Window Strike
A bird that hits a window is often just stunned. Keep pets indoors and give the bird time to recover. If needed, place it in a loosely closed paper bag in a quiet spot. When you hear it moving, open the bag outdoors and let it fly away.
Injured Hawk or Owl
Do not attempt to handle or keep raptors. Migratory birds, including hawks and owls, are protected by federal law. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who is permitted to care for raptors.
If the Parent Doesn't Return or the Animal Dies
Not all young animals survive, and natural mortality is a normal part of healthy ecosystems. Many species, like rabbits, where more than 75% of young do not reach five months, have high natural loss rates. While it can be difficult to witness, these events support other wildlife and help maintain balanced populations.
Find a Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator
Searchable directory coming soon. For now, you can view the complete list of permitted rehabilitators in Kansas: 2026 Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit Holders
Rehabilitators can only accept the species listed under their facility permits. Before contacting anyone, confirm that the animal you’ve found is listed as an acceptable species for that rehabilitator.