Found an Injured Wild Animal in East Texas? Who to Call
Updated: 4 days ago
A rabbit has not moved from the yard for an hour. A bird is sitting beneath a window. A fawn is lying alone in the grass with no doe in sight. It is natural to want to help immediately, but approaching or moving a wild animal too quickly can separate a healthy young animal from its parent or place both the animal and the rescuer at risk.
Begin by watching from a safe distance. Keep children and pets away, look for signs of injury, and contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or the appropriate local authority before handling or transporting the animal. Different species require different responses, and Texas law limits who may possess native wildlife.
This guide explains whom to call in East Texas, what to do during the first few minutes, and how to respond to wildlife commonly found near Tyler and Smith County.
What to do first
Many wild animals that appear abandoned are healthy and behaving normally. Young rabbits may remain still to avoid predators, fledgling birds spend time on the ground while learning to fly, and does routinely leave fawns hidden for long periods before returning to nurse.
Unless the animal is in immediate danger, begin with these steps:
Observe from a safe distance. Give the animal space and watch for normal movement, a returning parent, visible bleeding, an obvious wound, difficulty breathing, or an inability to stand.
Keep people and pets away. Bring dogs and cats indoors and prevent children or bystanders from approaching. This reduces stress and protects everyone involved.
Take a photograph without moving closer. A clear image may help a rehabilitator identify the species, age, and possible injury.
Note the exact location. Record the address or a nearby landmark so a rehabilitator or animal-control officer can understand the situation.
Call before acting. Describe what you see rather than assuming the animal is orphaned or injured. Follow the instructions given for that species and situation.
Do not offer food or water unless a qualified wildlife professional directs you to do so. An incorrect diet, forced water, excessive handling, and stress can worsen an animal's condition. Do not attempt to treat an injury at home.
If the animal is in a roadway, trapped inside a building, behaving aggressively, or creating an immediate threat to people, contact local animal control or law enforcement instead of approaching it.
Who to call in East Texas
1. A permitted wildlife rehabilitator
For most injured or apparently orphaned native animals, begin with a wildlife rehabilitator permitted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TPWD maintains a county-by-county list of wildlife rehabilitators.
Check your county first and then nearby counties. Rehabilitators may be authorized to accept only certain species, and their available space can change. Near Tyler, callers may need to check Smith County as well as Wood, Upshur, Gregg, Rusk, Cherokee, Henderson, and Van Zandt counties.
Always call before transporting an animal. The rehabilitator must first confirm the animal needs help, the species is covered by the appropriate permit, and space is available.
2. City or county animal control
Contact animal control when wildlife is:
Injured or trapped in a roadway or other dangerous public area
Inside a home, school, or business
Acting aggressively or abnormally
Creating an immediate risk to people or domestic animals
A high-risk rabies species that should not be handled or transported by the public
If animal control is unavailable and the situation is an immediate public-safety emergency, contact local law enforcement.
3. Texas Parks and Wildlife
For general guidance, contact TPWD at (512) 389-4800 or (800) 792-1112. A local game warden may be the appropriate contact when wildlife presents a serious public-safety concern or when illegal possession, capture, or harm is suspected.
4. A veterinarian
Some veterinary clinics work with permitted rehabilitators or accept certain wildlife cases, but many lack the permits, facilities, or staff required. Call before taking wildlife to a veterinary office.
5. A physician, veterinarian, animal control, or public-health authority after possible rabies exposure
Do not handle bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, or other mammals behaving abnormally. If a person is bitten, scratched, or may have had saliva contact, wash the affected area promptly with soap and water and seek medical guidance immediately. If a pet may have been exposed, contact a veterinarian and animal control. Do not release or dispose of the animal until authorities provide instructions because testing may be necessary.
What Texas law allows
Native wildlife is protected by state and, for some species, federal law. A person generally may not keep an injured or orphaned wild animal and attempt to rehabilitate it without the required authorization. Migratory birds are also protected under federal law.
Texas imposes additional restrictions on transporting certain high-risk rabies species. Members of the public should not place a live fox, skunk, coyote, or raccoon in a vehicle. Contact animal control for instructions instead.
Because the rules differ by species and circumstance, the safest approach is simple: do not capture, possess, or transport wildlife until a permitted rehabilitator or appropriate authority tells you what to do. Phone guidance can prevent an unnecessary rescue and help ensure an animal needing care reaches a properly authorized facility.
Common East Texas wildlife: what to know
Fawns. A quiet fawn lying alone is usually not abandoned. Does leave their young hidden and return periodically to nurse. Move away and keep pets out of the area. Contact a rehabilitator if the fawn is visibly injured, covered with flies, wandering and crying continuously, lying near a deceased doe, or known to have been attacked. Read What to Do If You Find a Fawn.
Baby rabbits. A shallow nest may look unattended because the mother usually visits briefly around dawn and dusk. If the babies are warm, quiet, and uninjured, cover the nest with its original material and keep pets away. Contact a rehabilitator if the babies are injured, cold, covered with flies or ants, or if the mother is known to be dead. Read Help, I Found a Bunny.
Squirrels. A young squirrel that has fallen from a nest may be reunited with its mother if it is uninjured and the area is safe. Watch from a distance and call a rehabilitator for species-specific instructions. Seek help promptly if the squirrel is bleeding, cold, weak, covered with flies, or known to have been caught by a cat. Read Help, I Found a Squirrel.
Birds. A fully feathered fledgling hopping on the ground is usually learning to fly while its parents continue feeding it. A sparsely feathered nestling may need to be returned to its nest when that can be done safely. A bird that is bleeding, has a drooping wing, cannot stand, or has struck a window should be discussed with a permitted bird rehabilitator. Native migratory birds may not be kept as pets.
Bats. Never touch a bat with bare hands. If a bat has been in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, or anyone unable to reliably report contact, seek public-health guidance before releasing it. If a person or pet may have touched the bat, contact the appropriate medical or veterinary professional and animal control immediately. Read Help, I Found a Bat.
Skunks, raccoons, foxes, and coyotes. Do not approach, capture, or transport these animals. Keep people and pets away and contact animal control, especially if an animal appears disoriented, unusually aggressive, unusually tame, paralyzed, or active in an unexpected place or manner. Read Help, I Found a Skunk and Help, I Found a Raccoon.
Opossums. Injured adults and young found near a deceased mother require guidance from a rehabilitator. Do not reach into a pouch or attempt to remove young without instruction. Read Help, I Found a Possum.
Spring and early summer bring a sharp increase in calls about young wildlife. Baby Season: A Time to Celebrate New Life in the Wild explains why many animals that appear orphaned are still receiving parental care. For healthy wildlife living too close to a home or business, Wildlife Hazing: An Ethical Approach to Coexistence discusses humane ways to encourage animals to move elsewhere.
Meet the Animal Residents
Tiger Creek provides a permanent home for rescued animals. On a guided Conservation Tour, offered March 1 through October 31, guides introduce the residents and share where each one came from.
Tiger Creek's role
Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary, located near Tyler in Smith County, provides a permanent home for rescued animals. It is not a general wildlife intake or drop-off center, and members of the public should not bring found wildlife to the sanctuary without prior authorization.
When speaking with a rehabilitator or animal-control officer, provide clear facts: the species if known, the animal's exact location, its behavior, visible injuries, possible contact with people or pets, and whether anyone has already moved or fed it. Accurate information helps the professional determine what should happen next.
Support Animal Care
Tiger Creek is a nonprofit animal sanctuary. Donations help provide the food, veterinary care, enrichment, and daily care the animal residents depend on.
To learn more about the animals who call Tiger Creek home, visit Meet Our Animals or explore sanctuary tours.
Wildlife rehabilitators often depend on donations to cover specialized food, housing, supplies, and veterinary care. If you would like to help make long-term rescue and rehabilitation possible, donate to support animal care.
Frequently asked questions
Who should I call if I find an injured wild animal in East Texas?
For most native wildlife, call a TPWD-permitted wildlife rehabilitator and describe the animal's condition before touching or moving it. Contact animal control instead when the animal presents a public-safety risk, is inside a building, is in a roadway, or is a species associated with elevated rabies risk.
Do wildlife rehabilitators charge?
Policies vary. Many rehabilitators are volunteers or nonprofit organizations that rely on donations, but callers should ask the individual organization about intake procedures and costs. A donation can help cover food, enclosures, supplies, and veterinary treatment.
What should I do with an injured bird in my yard?
Keep children and pets away, observe from a distance, and call a permitted bird rehabilitator. A fully feathered fledgling on the ground may be healthy, while a bird that is bleeding, unable to stand, or holding a wing unevenly likely needs professional assessment. Do not offer food or water unless directed.
What should I do if I find baby rabbits alone?
Leave an intact nest in place and keep pets away. Mother rabbits usually visit only briefly near dawn and dusk. Contact a rehabilitator if the babies are visibly injured, cold, covered with flies or ants, or if the mother is known to be dead.
Can I keep a wild animal until it recovers?
Generally, no. Rehabilitating protected native wildlife requires appropriate state or federal authorization. Contact a permitted rehabilitator instead of trying to care for it at home.
I already picked up the animal. What should I do?
Call a permitted rehabilitator or animal control immediately and explain exactly what happened, including any food, water, medication, or handling. Do not give the animal anything else unless instructed. Follow the professional's directions about safe temporary containment and transport. If the animal is a bat, skunk, raccoon, fox, or coyote, do not transport it; contact animal control.
Will Texas Parks and Wildlife collect an injured animal?
Not in most routine cases. TPWD provides public guidance, regulates wildlife rehabilitation, and maintains the state's rehabilitator list. Permitted rehabilitators and local animal-control agencies generally handle injured or orphaned wildlife, depending on the species and situation.
