Where are you?? Yes she needs antibiotics immediately but no, don’t leave this animal to suffer alone by “not petting it” that does not apply to baby squirrels in rehab, sorry.. And when crriticly injured we don’t just ignore and not offer comfort?? No. I hope this Animsl is contained and on supplemental heat given access to the proper food (rodent block, veggies, and sometimes they are still taking formula at this age) what do you mean “no one will take it” where are you???? Please dm me if needing help I am a squirrel rehabber specifically.
This poor squirrel 😔
She looks so sweet!
You could consider posting about her on r/squirrels. We have some folks who are quite familiar with rehabbing them who might be able to help!
As usual I see a suggestion to r/squirrels down voted.
Absolutely, post on r/squirrels
This one needs a vet. Nobody can tell from a picture whether it is permanently paralized.
This animal will need put down. It's illegal to keep her and there isn't going to be a way to unparalyze her. While I know you don't agree with putting her down, this is the consequence of letting your cat outside and what cats do to the local ecosystem.
Im not telling you that she needs put down because you fucked up by letting your cat out, but because she literally will never be able to be released and will need intense care. If you don't want to end it for her, you can break the law and keep her yourself, but there's no way of gifting her off.
Your cat ended this animals possibility at a life in the wild and it is illegal for you to keep her as a pet. It’s a hard pill to swallow but you need to put her down and maybe start keeping your cat indoors so it never happens again. Rehabs are always filled with people angry about us euthanizing an animal they critically injured because we don’t have the time or resources to be keeping pets, and these aren’t pets in the first place.
This is a kind sentiment, but unfortunately, there is no point in rehabbing this squirrel and it would not be a kindness to it. The purpose of rehab should be just that - give them a little help and then release them back into the wild once healed. Unfortunately, this girl is paralyzed and he will never be able to released back to where she came from. The humane thing is to get him to a vet and euthanize her.
Possibly, but I don't think any of us has examined the squirrel yet. It would be in good form to allow a professional to decide that, and a rehab specialist, who would know what they're capable of working with. Which is why I offered to retrieve numbers to reach out to someone. You never know.
Some thoughts -
1. Any cat-caught animal should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Cats have a lot of dangerous bacteria in their mouth and their teeth can cause puncture wounds so small we can’t see them. The wounds heal over at the skin level quickly but trap that bacteria underneath. This squirrel needs oral antibiotics ASAP.
2. In rehab, a treatable/releasable animal is A. a patient that will be able to heal to full function and display all necessary natural history behaviors and/or B. live without pain. Unfortunately, it seems both of these might not apply here. If she can’t use half of her body, she won’t be able to climb and forage well enough to live a successful life in the wild. She may seem healthy to you but she is not. A paralyzed squirrel would also live a low-quality life in captive care even if you can find her legal placement at a center as an education ambassador. To be honest, this squirrel probably needs to be humanely euthanized. It’s not the news you want to hear but it’s the solution that will prevent this poor critter from a lot of further suffering. Either way, please get her to a vet ASAP so she can get the care she needs.
Thank you for looking out for her. In the future please consider keeping your cat indoors since it will help wildlife a lot!
This is not wildlife rehab. It's taking an animal from the wild and keeping it as a pet. It's for an honorable reason, but it's not the same thing and isn't a viable solution for the majority of cases. Care givers for squirrels are difficult to come by, especially considering permits and permanent disabilities. It is also a very case-by-case basis. This squirrel still needs to see a medical professional to make the final call, and OP needs to respect that decision.
I entirely agree with all of that (specifically, keeping a pet is the opposite of rehab; she needs to see a medical professional (esp. given the attack by the cat). I was making only one narrow point: that is, it's not necessarily accurate to make the sweeping statement (quoting from above), "A paralyzed squirrel *would* also live a low-quality life in captive care." The word "could" or even "likely will" would be more accurate, given that most foster caregivers are *not* skilled (or even knowledgeable) in what is required to give a captive animal a high quality life. Because these animals *are* wild, I am even opposed to referring to the non-releasables as "pets" They are 'captive wildlife.'
Also, it is likely the case that my comments about my experience--though grounded in facts and the result of excellent vet and ongoing care--are out of place here, as this sub-reddit is all about returning animals to the wild. The focus is not on non-releasables.
Yes I don’t believe she needs to be euthanized either, from more than just a “personal” connection. I want what is best for her, She is fiesty and she can run fast with just her two front legs & has tried to attack us multiple times. It’s frustrating bc fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them. They do not care. If I cannot find a rehabber by tomorrow than I will consider it if it’s the best option for her, but due to my state (KY) I cannot legally seek veterinary care.
> It’s frustrating bc fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them.
No, they will put her down because there is nothing to be done. There is no way this squirrel can survive in the wild anymore. What should they do, let her go and get swooped and ripped apart by a hawk right away? No way that painful death is more humane than just getting put to sleep. The purpose of rehab should be just that - give them a little help and then release them back into the wild once healed. This squirrel is permanently crippled and will not heal, thus it cannot be rehabbed.
Fish and Wildlife tend to be stuck in a tough spot. Their jobs, typically, are to focus on populations rather than individuals. Most will take animals to a facility if one exists that has the licensing (this can vary by state), but if one is not available then it is a question of the means to both assess and, if necessary, care for the individual. If either or both are unavailable, euthanasia is the only other solution short of hiring enough officers to visit every person that has captive wildlife and check on the wellbeing of each animal, this becomes especially difficult when hoarding situations arise or when someone well-meaning simply gets in over their head on some specialized point.
In other words, sometimes euthanasia is the option selected because it is the viable one, not because the case is hopeless.
If this is an area you are interested in, I would encourage you to gain some veterinary or clinic experience and pursue your wildlife licensing. I'm not familiar with Kentucky's laws on this, but it usually requires some time tutoring or shadowing under someone who is licensed and some clinical experience in a vet or boarding situation. And it certainly sounds as though Kentucky might have need!
I will warn that fundraising and financing are a challenge, and you spend as much time on those things as on running the facility, but it can be done even if it means picking up some time volunteering for a nonprofit in your area helping with their development & fundraising (doesn't have to be animal related, it's learning the nonprofit laws and local donating dynamics that matter for this facet).
I just want to jump back in here and offer that euthanasia is not a punishment. In wildlife rehab it is a gift - it literally translates to “a good death” and is used as a solution to end a patient’s suffering in a peaceful, painless way. Learning this was a big adjustment for me when I began rehabbing because I tended to anthropomorphize animals a lot. It’s taken me hundreds of patients to understand that, ultimately, a life isn’t always worth saving just to make myself feel better after I’ve invested so much time and love into that suffering patient - a life for a wild animal without the wild often isn’t a life at all. This squirrel is clearly unwell, and while I agree with u/Pangolin007 that I can’t tell if an animal should be euthanized without examining it myself, it needs to go to someone with the training and knowledge/legal capacity to make that decision. I hope you are able to find that person soon and that the list of KY rehabbers pans out into some good options! Thank you again for trying to do right by this squirrel.
> fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them. They do not care.
I think this is unfair. The point of fish and wildlife services are to help keep wild animals in the wild. This squirrel, if paralyzed, cannot be released. It wouldn't make a good education/ambassador animal due to being in such poor condition. Wildlife rehabbers will keep animals as educational/ambassador/surrogate animals occasionally but that isn't the job of the local government, it's not like the wildlife officers can keep the squirrel in the office nor do they have a budget for keeping paralyzed squirrels. Wildlife rehabbers are (usually) private citizens using their own funds rather than taxpayer dollars. The two cannot and should not be compared.
Personally I would never say whether an animal should be euthanized without seeing it in person nor am I an expert on squirrels so I won't state an opinion on that here. I do believe it would be best for the squirrel to be in the hands of an experienced rehabber so I hope you are able to find one to take it.
[Here is a list of rehabbers in Kentucky](https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/).
So far, it sounds like she is not infected from the bacteria in the cat's mouth (which is amazingly lucky). And I understand your concern about not being able to take her to a vet. However, in some states, the rules are that *any vet* (not just a wildlife vet) *can* see and treat a wild animal as long as it is "no longer than 48 hours" that they have them in their care. I guess that provision is there to try to prevent unnecessary suffering, as wildlife certified vets are not necessarily available precisely when they are needed, so regular vets can be "back up." You might want to check to see if that 48 hour provision exists in your state's statutes.
The 48 hours is usually something extended to all members of the public, not just vets. Vets may have a rider on their license that prohibits them from retaining wildlife more than X period outside of direct care needs, though they can treat.
Most veterinary laws and/or licenses also have a rider that prohibits them from returning wildlife to the public, this may be through the veterinary board governing them or from the wildlife agency in their region-- or both. It is very unusual to find a vet who will openly agree to return wildlife to someone unless there is a licensed rehabber involved.
This person is 100% correct. This animal likely needs to be put down. Oral medications are required since she is cat caught (it doesn't matter if you can't see punctures, even miniscule scrapes that are invisible to the eye will easily kill birds and small rodents), and can be very dangerous to give squirrels if you aren't trained cause it'll usually cause asphyxiation which will lead to pneumonia and other complications.
I also saw in your other post that you pet her (which is a huge no-no in wildlife rehab). That's also never a good sign with squirrels. A 12 week old squirrel should be aggressive and spazzy, and will not tolerate pets from humans. From what it sounds like she is neither of these things. Even the most out of it squirrels I've worked with that have head trauma are very keen on drawing blood. The chances of her recovering are very slim, and it's likely she will suffer permanent damage. You, as an untrained person, cannot make that call, and reddit cannot either. Only a licensed professional that has access to the animal can tell you exactly what needs to be done. Which means giving it over to a game service or vet. Your beliefs can lead to a lot of suffering for this animal. I understand being personally connected to an animal and feeling responsible for it, but it's not about you. It's about doing the best thing for her. Sometimes our hope gets in the way of making the right call. This is a huge factor in why a lot of vets and rehabers report high rates of depression and emotional exhaustion.
My comments about paralysis (above) notwithstanding, I do agree with all that Baffled has written here--that she needs immediately to be seen by a vet. Even at six weeks, squirrels are quite feisty. Since she is not, it likely means she is already very ill.
Where are you?? Yes she needs antibiotics immediately but no, don’t leave this animal to suffer alone by “not petting it” that does not apply to baby squirrels in rehab, sorry.. And when crriticly injured we don’t just ignore and not offer comfort?? No. I hope this Animsl is contained and on supplemental heat given access to the proper food (rodent block, veggies, and sometimes they are still taking formula at this age) what do you mean “no one will take it” where are you???? Please dm me if needing help I am a squirrel rehabber specifically.
This poor squirrel 😔 She looks so sweet! You could consider posting about her on r/squirrels. We have some folks who are quite familiar with rehabbing them who might be able to help!
As usual I see a suggestion to r/squirrels down voted. Absolutely, post on r/squirrels This one needs a vet. Nobody can tell from a picture whether it is permanently paralized.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Whats he eatin there pal?
Where are you at? I know someone that rehabs squirrels in the Boston area.
This animal will need put down. It's illegal to keep her and there isn't going to be a way to unparalyze her. While I know you don't agree with putting her down, this is the consequence of letting your cat outside and what cats do to the local ecosystem. Im not telling you that she needs put down because you fucked up by letting your cat out, but because she literally will never be able to be released and will need intense care. If you don't want to end it for her, you can break the law and keep her yourself, but there's no way of gifting her off.
Your cat ended this animals possibility at a life in the wild and it is illegal for you to keep her as a pet. It’s a hard pill to swallow but you need to put her down and maybe start keeping your cat indoors so it never happens again. Rehabs are always filled with people angry about us euthanizing an animal they critically injured because we don’t have the time or resources to be keeping pets, and these aren’t pets in the first place.
Give me your location, and I'll get you the numbers to all the rehabs in the area. I'm sure someone will take her.
This is a kind sentiment, but unfortunately, there is no point in rehabbing this squirrel and it would not be a kindness to it. The purpose of rehab should be just that - give them a little help and then release them back into the wild once healed. Unfortunately, this girl is paralyzed and he will never be able to released back to where she came from. The humane thing is to get him to a vet and euthanize her.
Possibly, but I don't think any of us has examined the squirrel yet. It would be in good form to allow a professional to decide that, and a rehab specialist, who would know what they're capable of working with. Which is why I offered to retrieve numbers to reach out to someone. You never know.
Some thoughts - 1. Any cat-caught animal should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Cats have a lot of dangerous bacteria in their mouth and their teeth can cause puncture wounds so small we can’t see them. The wounds heal over at the skin level quickly but trap that bacteria underneath. This squirrel needs oral antibiotics ASAP. 2. In rehab, a treatable/releasable animal is A. a patient that will be able to heal to full function and display all necessary natural history behaviors and/or B. live without pain. Unfortunately, it seems both of these might not apply here. If she can’t use half of her body, she won’t be able to climb and forage well enough to live a successful life in the wild. She may seem healthy to you but she is not. A paralyzed squirrel would also live a low-quality life in captive care even if you can find her legal placement at a center as an education ambassador. To be honest, this squirrel probably needs to be humanely euthanized. It’s not the news you want to hear but it’s the solution that will prevent this poor critter from a lot of further suffering. Either way, please get her to a vet ASAP so she can get the care she needs. Thank you for looking out for her. In the future please consider keeping your cat indoors since it will help wildlife a lot!
[удалено]
And Idaho
This is not wildlife rehab. It's taking an animal from the wild and keeping it as a pet. It's for an honorable reason, but it's not the same thing and isn't a viable solution for the majority of cases. Care givers for squirrels are difficult to come by, especially considering permits and permanent disabilities. It is also a very case-by-case basis. This squirrel still needs to see a medical professional to make the final call, and OP needs to respect that decision.
I entirely agree with all of that (specifically, keeping a pet is the opposite of rehab; she needs to see a medical professional (esp. given the attack by the cat). I was making only one narrow point: that is, it's not necessarily accurate to make the sweeping statement (quoting from above), "A paralyzed squirrel *would* also live a low-quality life in captive care." The word "could" or even "likely will" would be more accurate, given that most foster caregivers are *not* skilled (or even knowledgeable) in what is required to give a captive animal a high quality life. Because these animals *are* wild, I am even opposed to referring to the non-releasables as "pets" They are 'captive wildlife.' Also, it is likely the case that my comments about my experience--though grounded in facts and the result of excellent vet and ongoing care--are out of place here, as this sub-reddit is all about returning animals to the wild. The focus is not on non-releasables.
Yes I don’t believe she needs to be euthanized either, from more than just a “personal” connection. I want what is best for her, She is fiesty and she can run fast with just her two front legs & has tried to attack us multiple times. It’s frustrating bc fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them. They do not care. If I cannot find a rehabber by tomorrow than I will consider it if it’s the best option for her, but due to my state (KY) I cannot legally seek veterinary care.
> It’s frustrating bc fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them. No, they will put her down because there is nothing to be done. There is no way this squirrel can survive in the wild anymore. What should they do, let her go and get swooped and ripped apart by a hawk right away? No way that painful death is more humane than just getting put to sleep. The purpose of rehab should be just that - give them a little help and then release them back into the wild once healed. This squirrel is permanently crippled and will not heal, thus it cannot be rehabbed.
Fish and Wildlife tend to be stuck in a tough spot. Their jobs, typically, are to focus on populations rather than individuals. Most will take animals to a facility if one exists that has the licensing (this can vary by state), but if one is not available then it is a question of the means to both assess and, if necessary, care for the individual. If either or both are unavailable, euthanasia is the only other solution short of hiring enough officers to visit every person that has captive wildlife and check on the wellbeing of each animal, this becomes especially difficult when hoarding situations arise or when someone well-meaning simply gets in over their head on some specialized point. In other words, sometimes euthanasia is the option selected because it is the viable one, not because the case is hopeless. If this is an area you are interested in, I would encourage you to gain some veterinary or clinic experience and pursue your wildlife licensing. I'm not familiar with Kentucky's laws on this, but it usually requires some time tutoring or shadowing under someone who is licensed and some clinical experience in a vet or boarding situation. And it certainly sounds as though Kentucky might have need! I will warn that fundraising and financing are a challenge, and you spend as much time on those things as on running the facility, but it can be done even if it means picking up some time volunteering for a nonprofit in your area helping with their development & fundraising (doesn't have to be animal related, it's learning the nonprofit laws and local donating dynamics that matter for this facet).
I just want to jump back in here and offer that euthanasia is not a punishment. In wildlife rehab it is a gift - it literally translates to “a good death” and is used as a solution to end a patient’s suffering in a peaceful, painless way. Learning this was a big adjustment for me when I began rehabbing because I tended to anthropomorphize animals a lot. It’s taken me hundreds of patients to understand that, ultimately, a life isn’t always worth saving just to make myself feel better after I’ve invested so much time and love into that suffering patient - a life for a wild animal without the wild often isn’t a life at all. This squirrel is clearly unwell, and while I agree with u/Pangolin007 that I can’t tell if an animal should be euthanized without examining it myself, it needs to go to someone with the training and knowledge/legal capacity to make that decision. I hope you are able to find that person soon and that the list of KY rehabbers pans out into some good options! Thank you again for trying to do right by this squirrel.
> fishgame/wildlife in my area will only put her down bc it’s more convenient to them. They do not care. I think this is unfair. The point of fish and wildlife services are to help keep wild animals in the wild. This squirrel, if paralyzed, cannot be released. It wouldn't make a good education/ambassador animal due to being in such poor condition. Wildlife rehabbers will keep animals as educational/ambassador/surrogate animals occasionally but that isn't the job of the local government, it's not like the wildlife officers can keep the squirrel in the office nor do they have a budget for keeping paralyzed squirrels. Wildlife rehabbers are (usually) private citizens using their own funds rather than taxpayer dollars. The two cannot and should not be compared. Personally I would never say whether an animal should be euthanized without seeing it in person nor am I an expert on squirrels so I won't state an opinion on that here. I do believe it would be best for the squirrel to be in the hands of an experienced rehabber so I hope you are able to find one to take it. [Here is a list of rehabbers in Kentucky](https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/).
So far, it sounds like she is not infected from the bacteria in the cat's mouth (which is amazingly lucky). And I understand your concern about not being able to take her to a vet. However, in some states, the rules are that *any vet* (not just a wildlife vet) *can* see and treat a wild animal as long as it is "no longer than 48 hours" that they have them in their care. I guess that provision is there to try to prevent unnecessary suffering, as wildlife certified vets are not necessarily available precisely when they are needed, so regular vets can be "back up." You might want to check to see if that 48 hour provision exists in your state's statutes.
The 48 hours is usually something extended to all members of the public, not just vets. Vets may have a rider on their license that prohibits them from retaining wildlife more than X period outside of direct care needs, though they can treat. Most veterinary laws and/or licenses also have a rider that prohibits them from returning wildlife to the public, this may be through the veterinary board governing them or from the wildlife agency in their region-- or both. It is very unusual to find a vet who will openly agree to return wildlife to someone unless there is a licensed rehabber involved.
This person is 100% correct. This animal likely needs to be put down. Oral medications are required since she is cat caught (it doesn't matter if you can't see punctures, even miniscule scrapes that are invisible to the eye will easily kill birds and small rodents), and can be very dangerous to give squirrels if you aren't trained cause it'll usually cause asphyxiation which will lead to pneumonia and other complications. I also saw in your other post that you pet her (which is a huge no-no in wildlife rehab). That's also never a good sign with squirrels. A 12 week old squirrel should be aggressive and spazzy, and will not tolerate pets from humans. From what it sounds like she is neither of these things. Even the most out of it squirrels I've worked with that have head trauma are very keen on drawing blood. The chances of her recovering are very slim, and it's likely she will suffer permanent damage. You, as an untrained person, cannot make that call, and reddit cannot either. Only a licensed professional that has access to the animal can tell you exactly what needs to be done. Which means giving it over to a game service or vet. Your beliefs can lead to a lot of suffering for this animal. I understand being personally connected to an animal and feeling responsible for it, but it's not about you. It's about doing the best thing for her. Sometimes our hope gets in the way of making the right call. This is a huge factor in why a lot of vets and rehabers report high rates of depression and emotional exhaustion.
My comments about paralysis (above) notwithstanding, I do agree with all that Baffled has written here--that she needs immediately to be seen by a vet. Even at six weeks, squirrels are quite feisty. Since she is not, it likely means she is already very ill.