RSPCA changes advice to public on small wildlife cases
Hedgehogs are one of the animals which will be covered by the changed advice.
From Monday, 3 April 2023, RSPCA officers will ask the public to transport sick and injured small wild animals to vets, with officers only attending small wild animal cases which involve cruelty or a trapped animal in need of specialist rescue.
Members of the public who contact the charity when they come across small wild animals in need of veterinary attention will be directed to the RSPCA’s website. The site will provide detailed information about sick and injured small wildlife, including advice on how to safely pick up and transport small wild animals to a local veterinary practice.
A new phone number, 0300 123 8967, dedicated to small wildlife will also be launched.
Animals covered by the advice will include wild rabbits, small rodents, bats, squirrels and hedgehogs.
The RSPCA will not be asking the public to transport small birds, as current Government advice to the public is not to handle sick birds owing to the risks posed by avian flu.
The charity is planning to put together a tool kit for vets with advice about caring for small wildlife. They are expecting any impact on individual practices to be very small and will do more to manage expectations when advising people to take wildlife to a practice, explaining that euthanasia can often be the best option to relieve suffering.
Previously, members of the public were advised to transport small wildlife themselves, but in some cases officers would be sent out to transport an animal which could have been safely taken to a veterinary practice by a member of the public.
The changes come in response to the large volume of calls being received by the charity, with the RSPCA hoping the new strategy will allow officers to focus on cruelty and neglect cases as well as situations that require specialist skills.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
