If a wild animal gets into your house, evict it ASAP!

Squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and other animals may find their way into your attic, chimney, porch, or other part of the house. Your house may look like a great home to a squirrel or other animal seeking shelter, but allowing wild animals to remain in your home where they don't belong is not safe for you or the animal.

Chimneys can be particularly troublesome for our flighted friends. Birds as big as owls can accidentally become stuck in uncovered chimneys while chasing prey. A large bird stuck in a chimney can damage its flight feathers and become injured, dehydrated, and starved if it cannot free itself quickly.

Help keep wild animals in the wild, where they belong!

• In the fall and spring, check your chimney, gutters, siding, and other areas of your house for unintended openings that might allow wildlife to get in. The Humane Society has tips for animal-proofing your home.
• Before sealing or closing any openings you find, make sure there are no animals inside.
• Once the coast is clear, repair and close the openings. Wild critters and your energy bills will thank you!

If you suspect or know that a wild animal has gotten into your house, here are some steps you can take to help the critter:

• Contact a wildlife center or professional wildlife rehabilitator for advice on how to safely capture and/or remove the animal from your house.
• Seek additional help if necessary and follow the advice you received.

Help a turtle get out of the road and on its way!

Turtles are one of the oldest creatures on Earth, and they can use our help! Turtles move around for many reasons, from breeding to housekeeping, and sometimes roads get in the way. You're most likely to see turtles in the road from April to October, but it's not a bad idea to stay alert at all times.

If you find a turtle crossing the road, save it from the possibility of being hit by a car by helping it across to the other side.

• Be safe. If you're in a car, pull completely off the road and activate your hazard blinkers. Use caution when entering an active roadway.
• Pick up small turtles by holding both sides of the shell behind the front legs. Large turtles could be snapping turtles, which may be aggressive. You probably should not attempt to pick it up, but can still help it cross the road by nudging it carefully along with a blunt (not sharp!) object and serving as an escort to alert cars to the turtle.
• Carry or escort the turtle to the other side of the road in the direction it was going. Don't move a turtle back to the place where it came from, even if the other side doesn't seem like an appropriate turtle spot. The turtle knows what it is doing, and if you put it back where it came from, it will just keep trying to cross the road when you leave. Always move turtles in the direction they were going.
• If the turtle appears injured, contact a nearby wildlife rehabilitator for help.
• Never move or relocate a turtle out of the area where you found it. Turtles have a very small home territory, and if you remove them from their territory, they will keep trying to find their way home and will likely be injured or killed in the process.

Critters don't need litter!

It may seem harmless or even helpful to throw food scraps like an apple core out the window when you're driving. The thought of helping a critter find a free meal sounds good! But good intentions can have tragic results.

A food scrap on the side of the road can attract rodents and other small animals. Larger animals like hawks and owls that prey on rodents are then attracted to the roadside in search of their own meals. Roads are not safe places for wildlife, and raptors are often hit by cars when hunting on the roadside.

Help keep wildlife away from roads!

• Don't throw food scraps or other litter on the side of the road. Dispose of litter properly.
• If you do find an injured bird or animal on the side of the road, contact a nearby wildlife center or rehabilitator for help.

Know who to call in case of emergency.

Most of the time, nature takes care of its wild critters quite well. The best place for wild animals is in the wild. Sometimes, though, critters could use our help.

In the spring, baby season brings many people into contact with wildlife. For example, a baby bird whose nest fell out of a tree during a storm may be injured. The best people to help are licensed, professional wildlife rehabilitators. As kind and gentle as you may be, irreparable harm can be done to wild animals (particularly babies) if they are not properly cared for. A baby bird might become imprinted on you and as a result will never survive in the wild because it thinks it is a human, not a bird.

Always contact a professional prior to touching or moving an injured, abandoned, or distressed wild animal. They can help you determine if the animal truly needs human intervention, and the best way to go about helping the animal.

Find a wildlife rehabilitator near you.

The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association can help you find a rehabilitator in your area.

Animal Help Now uses your zip code or location to help you locate rehabilitators and rescue resources.