Rehabilitation Challenges: Laws

There are many laws in place to protect wildlife. Because wildlife requires very special captive care, it is illegal for most people to own or just temporarily have native wild animals. Only wildlife rehabilitators or places like zoos that have special training are legally able to keep wild animals. The state government gives these people permits to provide captive care to wild animals.

This means that if you find injured or orphaned wildlife, do not try to care for it yourself. Instead, find someone with a permit for wildlife rehabilitation who can knowledgably care for the animal.