KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF!
Wild creatures had to be put down after misguided attempts to care for them
WILD animals have had to be put down as a result of untrained Scots attempting to care for them on their own.
Now Scotland’s animal charity, the SSPCA, has issued a warning to would-be rescuers – telling them to leave it to the experts when they come across creatures in need.
Botched rescue attempts they have highlighted include a baby fawn fed cow’s milk, which can cause life-threatening illnesses to deer, when it was taken in by a Glasgow resident.
The member of the public had phoned animal protection charity the Scottish
SPCA but failed to heed its advice to return the animal to where they found it.
In another incident, a fawn was found by the charity having seizures as a result of being wrapped in dog blankets.
The Scottish SPCA has issued a stark warning to Scots who are inadvertently putting creatures at serious risk by attempting to care for them without experience.
The charity shared horrific stories of fawns, foxes and birds which, in some cases, had to be put down as a result of attempts to care for them by well-meaning but untrained people.
It has launched a #WildlifeWise campaign to educate the public on what the best steps are.
The Scottish SPCA told how a person kept a young fox in their shed for three months, before contacting the charity.
Unfortunately, by the time the specially trained team arrived, the fox was not safe to be released back into the wild.
Mike Flynn, the Scottish SPCA’s chief superintendent, said: “By no means do we think people do this maliciously or with intent to harm these animals but unfortunately by trying to care for them they are doing more harm than good.
“People need to remember that these are wild animals and any interaction with humans is
incredibly stressful for them. Fawns and deer in particular suffer from extreme stress and can pass away from shock.
“Often people will feed the animals the incorrect diet and this will lead to intestinal problems and can lead to the animal passing away.
“We have experienced many incidents of birds being taken home by members of the public.
“Some people have tried to tape up wings resulting in a maggot infestation, others have tried to feed birds paracetamol.
“Sadly, in many of these circumstances the animal needs
to be put to sleep as its injuries have not been correctly treated from the outset.
“A hedgehog was brought to us with serious injuries to its face after being caught by a garden strimmer.
“The person kept it for two or three weeks and tried to give it antibiotics prescribed from the vet. Sadly, when it arrived in to our care it had to be put to sleep.
“Wild animals do not have the centuries of domestication that companion animals do. We would ask that the public do not try to take matters in to their own hands.
“Our animal rescue officers and team at our National Wildlife Rescue Centre are experts in treating and rehabilitating wild animals. We would urge everyone to leave the care of wild creatures to us to give them the best possible chance of recovery.”
Visit www.scottishspca.org/ wildlifewise for more information on the #WildlifeWise campaign.