Baby raccoons being rescued
Los Angeles is home to many species of wildlife from tiny hummingbirds to skunks to hawks to mountain lions. Some of these animals have been burned by the flames directly or from walking on super heated ground. Some are suffering from smoke inhalation or merely starvation and dehydration from loss of their natural food and water supplies. Over the next few weeks ill, injured and orphaned wildlife may be entering residential areas near the fire perimeter looking for food and water.
If you find ill, injured or orphaned wildlife, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for help. Licensed wildlife rehabilitators are trained to rehabilitate wildlife for release back to the wild. Taking ill, injured or orphaned wildlife to your local animal shelter is not always the best option. While Los Angeles City, Pasadena, Santa Monica and a few other shelters give injured wildlife to wildlife rehabiliators, other shelters euthanize all wildlife. It's always best to give wildlife directly to trained wildlife rehabilitators so the animals can receive needed care more promptly. As most rehabilitators are non-profit organizations working with small budgets in a tough economy, donations of money or supplies is always appreciated.
Below is a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators in California. Los Angeles is in Region 5 on this list. Find the rehabber closest to you. Animal Advocates is located close to the fire zones in the Los Angeles area. They rescue all small mammals such as bobcats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, all squirrels, moles, voles, gophers, chipmunks, wild mice, rats and bats. They do not handle birds but other rehabbers on the list can care for wild birds.
Contact:
Animal Advocates
Mary Cummins
mary@animaladvocates.us
www.AnimalAdvocates.us
http://www.facebook.com/
List of Wildlife Rehabilitators
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/
Nicole Carion
Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator
California Department of Fish and Game
