24/07/2026
As you may have seen earlier this week we had an injured deer left outside our hospital, which sadly had to be put to sleep due to its injuries.
While we help where we can, small animal veterinary practice teams are usually not experienced in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation; additionally, our facilities, transport and equipment are designed for the safety and comfort of domesticated pets that are used to humans (albeit sometimes a little bit spicy about having to be here), which make them unsuitable for wildlife.
Because we want every animal to have the best chance of a good, long-term outcome, and this is most likely achieved at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, we thought we would put together advice on who to contact when you find yourself in the tricky situation of having found injured or sick wildlife.
So what should you do if you find an injured animal?
Deer
Please report any road accident involving a deer to Sussex Police by dialling 101 (or 999 if an immediate road hazard) and asking them to contact the nearest deer warden. Sadly, once a deer has been hit, their injuries are not usually survivable, but the deer warden will assess this to determine the best option for the deer before deciding on next steps. Having the location app, 'what3words', already installed on your phone can assist in these cases, as it narrows your location to a specific three metre square, which means assistance can arrive quickly.
If you find a deer entangled in fencing or caught up in something like washing line or football netting on private land, wildlife rescue may be able to help in this circumstance so contacting some of the numbers we list below is the best first step.
We strongly advise against picking up or moving the deer, loading them into your vehicle or attempting to free them from wherever they are stuck without expert assistance, either in person or over the phone. Deer are extremely stressed by human contact, which means they could injure themselves further in the process, which reduces their chances of survival. They could also injure you. A wildlife rescue can advise on how to safely transport the deer to their facility if needed.
Rabbits
Please seek advice from a wildlife rescue in the first instance if you find an injured or sick wild rabbit. If you are advised to take the rabbit to a local vets, please call them before setting off so they can make arrangements for isolation protocols to be implemented. Wild rabbits may carry myxomatosis or viral haemorrhagic disease, which small animal veterinary practices have to protect their rabbit patients from, so usually you will be asked to wait outside and not enter the building with the wild rabbit until they have been assessed.
Birds
Birds carry the additional risk of bird flu, which is transmissible to humans, so in line with APHA advice, we would advise not touching any sick, injured or dead wild bird - especially waterfowl, sea birds, game birds, or birds of prey. The RSPCA provides some useful advice about what to do in different circumstances on their website - https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/birds/injured.
Please do not enter the practice with a wild bird. We currently have measures in place to protect our feathered patients from bird flu, including assessment outside before they can enter the building. If you do find an injured bird and wildlife rescue have advised it should be taken to a vet, please call your local practice first so that they can advise on next steps.
Other wildlife
Hedgehogs, bats, foxes, badgers, frogs, snakes.... the UK has some amazing wildlife and the advice for what to do for each species may vary. WRAS has some great advice on their website - https://wildlifeambulance.org/advice/.
Contact information
WRAS - 0300 10 26 999
Folly Wildlife Rescue - 01892 543213
Sussex Police - 101
