Information for Veterinarians

It is not illegal for a veterinarian to medically treat wildlife. It is illegal for an individual without a state and/or wildlife rehabilitation license to “rehabilitate” wild animals.
It is also not illegal for a veterinarian to take an injured or orphaned animal or bird home if it requires critical medical care.

If the animal or bird is an endangered species, then the proper authorities must be contacted, either federal or state. It is still legal to treat that animal.

Many individuals believe that opossums carry rabies. This is not true. The rabies virus does not thrive well in opossums due to their low body temperature.

Cottontail rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks are not considered rabies vector species in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Groundhogs, beavers, raccoons, fox and bats may be considered rabies vector species depending on state and local laws. It is legal for a veterinarian to provide medical care to these animals, however; precautions to prevent bites should be taken as is usually with any animal, wild or domestic, that can contract and spread rabies.
If you receive a possible rabies vector species state and local laws may NOT require the euthanasia of that animal unless there has been human exposure.

Adult deer usually may not be rehabilitated due to their fractious and fragile temperament.

Preventative measures should be taken when dealing with raccoons. Not only can they carry and transmit Leptosporosis, they also are the only natural host for a particular species of roundworm. This specific gastrointestinal parasite is zoonotic to all animals and birds, including man.
Do not allow a veterinary technician take an animal home to “rehabilitate” it. Wildlife has very specific husbandry and dietary requirements.

If a veterinarian would like to receive funding from the Babiga Wildlife Fund, please contact Dr. Anne Hiss. She will be happy to go over minimal paper work needed for the veterinarian to complete, and will send copies of wildlife intake forms.

Dr. Anne Hiss is also on-call for any veterinarian with limited wildlife experience and can either advise you or refer you to the appropriate individual with knowledge of that species.

If a veterinarian is faced with a difficult and challenging case beyond their professional skills, Dr. Hiss has boarded internists, ophthalmologists, surgeons, neurologists and dentists who have offer their services free of charge to injured wildlife.

Above all, please protect your staff. Wild animals may be cute and it is very tempting to “play” with them. Consider them wild and very frightened. When no flight is available, they will fight or die from stress.