Sick or Injured Wildlife in Yakima Basin
At Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board, we are committed to the well-being of our local fish and wildlife in the Yakima River Basin. While we are passionate about the health and wellness of our fish and wildlife, we are unable to assist with rescuing or rehabilitating sick or injured wildlife. Please do not call YBFWRB with requests to assist with injured fish or wildlife – we cannot assist you.
We strongly encourage that you call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) before intervening with wildlife that may be sick or injured.
WDFW is equipped with the knowledgeable staff and resources to assess and address wildlife concerns safely. WILDCOM can be reached at 360-902-2936 who can dispatch a Wildlife Enforcement officer in your area to assist you. We have included a link below where you can search for local licensed rehabilitation facilities that can answer your questions and assist with injured or sick wildlife.
By seeking expert advice and assistance, we can ensure the best possible outcomes for both the wildlife in question and their surrounding habitats.
To find a licensed wildlife recovery agency visit:
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
To immediately report injured or sick wildlife call:
Call 911 for Immediate Assistance. To report poaching in progress, a dangerous wildlife complaint, or an emergency.
Call 877-933-9847 for non-emergency poaching/violations, or dangerous wildlife reports between 7am – 5pm. Outside of these hours of operation, please contact your local state patrol.
When not to ‘rescue’ a wild animal
Most wild animals do not need to be “rescued” and there is almost never a time when you should remove a baby wild animal from its natural environment. This is true even if an animal appears to be abandoned. More often than not, the parent is nearby and leaving a young animal alone usually affords it the best chance for survival.
Every year, hundreds of young wild animals such as fawns, baby seals, and baby birds are needlessly “rescued” and referred to wildlife rehabilitators. This can be harmful or fatal to the young animal, and disruptive to wildlife rehabilitators who need to concentrate limited resources on truly orphaned or injured wildlife.