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Orphaned Wildlife

Orphaned wildlife would be wildlife such as raccoon, opossum, squirrel or rabbit that is too young to survive on its own but has been abandoned by its mother for 24 hours or more.  It's common to see baby wild animals outside during spring, as a new generation makes its way into the world. Baby wild animals might seem like they need our help, but unless the animal is truly orphaned or injured, there is no need to rescue them.


How can I help orphaned wildlife?

Residents can bring orphaned wildlife into SBARC if it has been abandoned for over 24 hours.  Animal Control Officers can pick up an injured wild animals Monday through Friday Between the hours of 9am and 4pm.  If a resident finds an injured wild animal outside of these times, they may contact SBARC's emergency line at (574)235-9303.


What should I do if I find baby rabbits?

Rabbits at least four inches long with open eyes and erect ears and who hop well are independent from their mother and should be allowed to fend for themselves. Uninjured baby rabbits in an intact nest should also be left alone. Although they might look abandoned because their mom isn’t around, mother rabbits visit their dependent young only a few times a day to avoid attracting predators. If the nest has been disturbed, lightly cover it with natural materials you find around the nest, like grass, fur or leaves and follow these steps:

 

  • Keep all pets out of the area.
  • Avoid touching the babies, because foreign smells may cause the mother to abandon their young.
  • Use yarn or string to make a tic-tac-toe pattern over the nest to assess whether the mother is returning to nurse their young. Check back 24 hours later.
  • If the yarn or string was moved aside, but the nest is still covered with fur, grass or leaves, the mother has returned to nurse the babies.
  • If the “X” remains undisturbed for 24 hours, contact 311.

 

 

 


311 Process Notes

For injured wildlife calls before or after SBARC hours, please contact the non-emergency number for the Police Department at 235-9201. For injured wildlife during normal hours, please reach SBARC at x9309 or 574-220-5425.

Please enter a case in PetPoint for an officer to review the property.

  1. Login to the PetPoint webpage with your credentials
    1. Shelter ID: USIN57
  2. From the top ribbon, click on
    1. Case
    2. Add Case
  3. Under the Details tab in Case Details, please enter:
    1. Case Category: Incident
    2. Case Type: Enforcement
    3. Case Subtype: Wildlife 
    4. Case Status: Open
    5. Case Officer: Call for Service
    6. Additional Information: Any applicable call notes
    7. Street Address: Location of the incident
      1. If needed, utilize 311 Reference Map to find address
    8. Zip Code: Enter Zip Code for the location and click on the green arrows button
      1. Clicking on the green arrow button will populate the city and City Alias
    9. Cross Street: Enter the nearest cross street to the listed address, keep blank if reporting an intersection
    10. Type of Location: Enter applicable location type from the dropdown
    11. Number of Animals: Number related to the case
    12. Person Reporting Info: Add name and/or Phone Number
      1. If wanting to report anonymously, please enter “Anonymous”
    13. Click the green “Save” button at the bottom of the page
  4. Under the Activities tab in Activity Details, please enter:
    1. Activity Type: Dispatch
    2. Activity Subtype: Wildlife
    3. Priority: Normal is standard, adjust for situation
    4. Activity Owner: Call for Service
    5. Click the green “Save” button at the bottom of the page
  5. After clicking the green “Save” button, the page should refresh and the case has dispatched to SBARC