Wildlife Friendly Vets

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What is a Wildlife Friendly Vet?

A wildlife friendly veterinary practice is one that supports the rescue and rehabilitation of native wildlife. They provide services for wildlife care, and work with wildlife rescue volunteers to support the treatment and rehabilitation of native wildlife.

Nominate a Wildlife Friendly Vet

Did you know?

Between 177,580 and 355,160 injured wild animals are brought into NSW veterinary clinics every year.

The majority (82%) of wildlife arrive in veterinary care due to trauma of some kind. The most common cause is animals being hit by cars, followed by predation by dogs and cats.

Vets don’t get paid to treat native animals and struggle to fit these cases in to busy days treating domestic pets and farm animals.

Most wildlife are brought into vet clinics by members of the public (68%), not wildlife carers.

The Wildlife Heroes Wildlife Friendly Vets program aims to:

  Promote the challenging and unpaid work veterinary practices do treating native wildlife

  Improve veterinary wildlife care through funding and training

  Improve vet client awareness of wildlife rescue and wildlife needs

–  Support wildlife rescue coordination between carers and vets, especially during emergencies

The project is supported by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation initiative of the Commonwealth Government.