Interrupted Lives: Welfare Considerations in Wildlife Rehabilitation

Michelle Willette, Nicki Rosenhagen, Gail Buhl, Charles Innis, Jeff Boehm

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Each year in the United States, thousands of sick, injured, or displaced wild animals are presented to individuals or organizations who have either a federal or state permit that allows them to care for these animals with the goal of releasing them back to the wild. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the complexity of considerations rehabilitators and veterinarians face while trying to optimize the welfare of wild animals in need of care and rehabilitation. The process of rehabilitation is inherently stressful for wildlife. Maintaining an animal’s welfare during the rehabilitation process—from initial contact and tria+ge to the animal’s euthanasia, release, or captive placement—requires deliberate, timely and humane decision making. The welfare of wild animals can be improved by preventing human-related causes of admission, providing resources and support for wildlife rehabilitation (almost all rehabilitation in the United States is privately funded and access to veterinary care is often limited); further developing evidence-based wildlife rehabilitation methods and welfare measures, attracting more veterinary professionals to the field, harmonizing regulatory oversight with standards of care, training, and accountability, and increasing public education.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1836
JournalAnimals
Volume13
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

Keywords

  • animal welfare
  • birds
  • clinical wildlife medicine
  • marine mammals
  • sea turtles
  • urban wildlife
  • wildlife rehabilitation

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Review

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