Vet guidance and resources
This site is for veterinary professionals only.
For public advice visit rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare
Welcome to the RSPCA’s Wildlife Toolkit site for veterinary professionals
This site contains a collection of resources created by our wildlife vets as well as various partner resources, links and articles, to bring together useful information for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses working in the UK to help them improve wild animal welfare, triage and treat patients and build relationships with wildlife rehabilitators. This site is for veterinary professionals only (vets and vet nurses), registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and working in the UK.
The RCVS recently published a reminder about the obligations for vets to provide basic emergency first aid and pain relief to wildlife, which is accessible at https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/features/standards-and-advice-update-december-2024/
Please do not share this link and these resources beyond professional vet and RVN colleagues - the site’s contents contain, materials that we have been given permission to share with you as veterinary professionals but are not publicly accessible as open-access resources and much of the content requires professional training to interpret and implement. The field of wildlife medicine is constantly evolving, so please ensure you keep up to date with new evidence and information - we will endeavour to keep materials on this site up to date but for some species there is not a wide range of current material so older publications have been included.
The contents of this site also includes sensitive information and graphic imagery; as vets and vet nurses we are familiar with topics such as euthanasia and images of injury, disease and surgery, but this material should be only used by veterinary professionals working in a professional context.
Wild animals are highly stressed by captivity and it is up to the veterinary surgeon to be able to adequately assess their short and long term welfare needs and potential compromise. All the organisations involved in this information hub believe that wildlife should only be treated if it can be rehabilitated in a timely way, and released back into the wild, with the same chance as any other wild animal in this challenging environment.
Therefore we do not condone invasive procedures such as limb amputations or enucleations as these animals would not have a comparable chance of survival in the wild. We also do not condone long-term or indefinite captivity of wildlife, for any reason, due to the high stress and welfare compromise it can cause.
The site will cover themes such as euthanasia of wildlife and triage decision-making. Euthanasia is an essential tool in optimising wild animal welfare and preventing further suffering. Where animals have extensive injuries, debilitating disease, or are unable to be rehabilitated or released back to the wild, they should be euthanased on welfare grounds.
Vets should satisfy themselves that the rehabbers they are working with are compliant with regulations and are making appropriate welfare-focused decisions- including euthanasia. Where there are no suitable local facilities for rehabilitation timely euthanasia is the most appropriate welfare outcome.
What this site covers
What type of wildlife casualty you are likely to encounter in the surgery
Things to consider when assessing a casualty and deciding if it is suitable for release or needs vet/wildlife centre further attention
Identifying casualties which may require euthanasia to prevent further suffering as a result of their injuries
RSPCA's Wildlife course - the first 24 hours
This two-part course has been designed to take you through the basic principles of how to care for wild animals during the first 24 hours after they’re rescued, and how to make decisions about the next steps in their rehabilitation. It’s aimed at centres and branches who only have limited facilities to take in wildlife, and as a refresher for anyone interested in wildlife rehabilitation.