What wild animals WONT a wildlife centre/ Rspca take in?

[connerlake]

I know they take in animals such as injured deer, badgers, hedgehogs, birds, foxes ect
But what about animals such as Brown rats town pidgeons, random thought but it hit me yesterday when i was looking at the rspca website and it said they had 1 brown rat come in last year, these places are supposed to be for all wildlife am i correct? but who would want to take in a injured rat lol,

[valleyforge]

We do rats and pigeons ... and just about anything else ... for us it's life that's important, not the body that's wrapped around it.

[connerlake]

Thanks for your reply lol So if i found an injured rat/pidgeon in my garden and brought it to you or...any other wildlife centre would they put it down or try to treat it ?

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by connerlake

Thanks for your reply lol So if i found an injured rat/pidgeon in my garden and brought it to you or...any other wildlife centre would they put it down or try to treat it ?

I think for most it would be dependant on how fixable the animal was and whether it would ever be 'releaseable'....

[connerlake]

You learn something new every day, dont get me wrong i like rats i have a pet rat..extremely intelligent loving animals and shes forever cleaning herself, but as the wild population is highly diseased AND public perception of the rat is its the worst mammal and possibly animal alive on this planet i didnt think the centre's would bother with them, especially with the population numbers of them

[valleyforge]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I think for most it would be dependant on how fixable the animal was and whether it would ever be 'releaseable'....

That's largely true Gill ... we won't euthanase any casualty though purely for logistical or economic reasons (ie. how long it's going to take, how much effort is needed, or how much it's going to cost) because fundamentally we don't do this as a 'business'.

Because it's non-reversible, euthanasia for us is always a last resort ... in many cases, casualties that are not fit for return to the wild are provided life-time sanctuary, either here or at another specialist centre.

This isn't a general situation with all rehabilitators though, all centres (including the RSPCA, SSPCA, etc) having their own policies, depending on their operating or business model.

[valleyforge]

Originally Posted by connerlake

3.
... I didnt think the centre's would bother with them, especially with the population numbers of them

For us at any rate connerlake, we're not looking at it from a species conservation perspective, but purely on the basis of helping out an individual.

To put it into another frame of reference for you ... if you were involved in a traffic accident, would you consider it right and proper that you were left there to suffer, just because there are plenty more humans in the world?

Of course, helping a casualty rat does nothing to help or hinder the rat population as a whole, but it can mean everything to that particular rat.

[connerlake]

Originally Posted by valleyforge

For us at any rate connerlake, we're not looking at it from a species conservation perspective, but purely on the basis of helping out an individual.

To put it into another frame of reference for you ... if you were involved in a traffic accident, would you consider it right and proper that you were left there to suffer, just because there are plenty more humans in the world?

Of course, helping a casualty rat does nothing to help or hinder the rat population as a whole, but it can mean everything to that particular rat.

Like i said valleyforge i have no detestment at someone helping a rat as i would do so if i could myself, it is the centre's that i didnt think would.

[willing to learn]

Is it legal to release a rat back into the wild
Regards
Colin

[valleyforge]

I understand connerlake ... for most wildlife rehabiliators, it's of course all down to the availability of resources and funding as to what they can, or are prepared to, do for any wildlife casualty.