Frequently asked questions

Keep the animal safe and in the dark: a cardboard box with air holes, on a soft cloth, in a quiet place away from people and pets. Do not give it food or water and never force it to drink. Then use WildSOS to find the nearest rescue center and call right away: they will tell you what to do for that species.

Not for longer than needed to hand it over. Law 157/1992 prohibits keeping wildlife without authorisation. Picking it up and keeping it safe in order to take it to a rescue center is rescue, not possession. If you cannot hand it over the same day, call the rescue center or 1515 (Forest Carabinieri) immediately and follow their instructions.

Normally yes: handing an injured wild animal to a rescue center costs the finder nothing. Rescue centers are run by public bodies, associations or cooperatives, often under agreement with Regions or Provinces, and have limited resources: some private centers welcome a voluntary donation. Call first and ask.

Call 1515, the national Forestry Carabinieri number, available 24 hours a day. They coordinate wildlife interventions across the country. Alternatively, search for another nearby rescue center on WildSOS — many have evening or night-time availability.

Better not to. Never force an animal to drink or eat: it may choke or take the wrong food (milk is harmful to hedgehogs, bread to birds). An animal can go a few hours without food; it cannot survive the wrong food. If the rescue center tells you to make an exception for that species, follow their advice.

It depends on the species and the severity of the injuries. A bird with a minor wound may be released within a few weeks. A raptor with a broken wing requires months of rehabilitation and flight training. An adult mammal hit by a car may stay at the center for 3–6 months. Centers provide updates to those who contact them.

No. The goal of a rescue center is always release into the wild — not captivity. Animals that cannot be released (for example due to permanent disabilities) remain at the center as ambassador animals; they are not given to private individuals. Wildlife is not adoptable.

Yes, always. The bacteria in a cat's mouth (particularly Pasteurella multocida) penetrate even through microscopic scratches and bites invisible to the eye. A bird that seems unharmed after being caught by a cat can die of septicaemia within 24–48 hours. A rescue center can administer antibiotics that save its life.

It depends. If the nest has fallen but is intact, you can reposition it as high as possible on the same tree — parents return even if you've touched it (the myth that 'touching the nest causes parents to abandon the young' is false). If the chick is alone on the ground but looks healthy and the area is safe, wait at a distance for 1–2 hours — many young birds leave the nest before they can fly properly and this is normal. Intervene only if it is injured, cold, or in immediate danger.

WildSOS collects active wildlife rescue centers across Italy, starting from elencocras.it, the centers’ own websites and direct reports; centers can update their own data. No list is complete: if you know of a center that is missing, report it from the “Add a rescue center” page. If a number does not answer, call 1515.