When an injured wild animal turns up in your yard, calling for help may be only part of the response. Wildlife rehabilitators say there are cases where people can take simple steps to keep an animal safe before rescuers arrive — as long as they first get advice on how to handle the situation. That guidance came into focus Friday morning in Comber, where Beatrice Stacey’s son found a large bird, believed to be a blue heron, barely moving in the backyard and unable to fly. “I was so anxious about the poor bird,” Stacey said. She said the bird had been standing in the same area for hours before help arrived. When a rescuer tried to capture it with a net, the bird briefly got away and ended up in a nearby ditch. “He gently put the net over him and gently hauled him out,” Stacey said. “He was very gentle, very kind.” Stacey said the bird appeared lethargic and was unable to fly. She was told it had suffered a serious leg injury. It was eventually placed in a cage and taken away for further care. Stacey said her family has been on the property for about 150 years and regularly sees large birds, including herons, cranes and cormorants, nearby. But she had never encountered one in that condition. “I was really, really glad that it got saved, at least to see what’s going to happen to it,” Stacey said. The bird’s eventual outcome was not known at the time of the interview. Jennifer Dalley, wildlife coordinator at Wings Rehabilitation Centre, said anyone who finds an injured animal should first call a wildlife rehabilitation centre or their local humane society and describe what is happening. “The best thing to do is always give us a call,” Talley said. From there, staff can advise callers on whether there are steps they can safely take while waiting for help. Depending on the animal, that could include placing it under or inside a box to keep it contained, or keeping a young bird warm, dark and quiet while waiting for it to be picked up. Dalley said protective gloves may also be necessary in some situations. But she warned people against simply approaching an injured animal and trying to grab it. “Don’t run up and grab it,” she said. “It’s always a big no-no.” Dalley said wild animals can carry diseases or parasites, and an animal that is frightened or injured may also react defensively. “They’re scared so they’re going to fight back — and you might get injured.” For Stacey, the rescue offered some reassurance that the bird would at least receive professional care. “I felt good that it’s going to be treated humanely,” Stacey said. “I didn’t want to see it die.”
