HOW CAN WE HELP?​​​

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• If you’re a Vet Practice or a Wildlife Rescue we can set you up with your own team of UKWT Volunteer Wildlife Drivers, equipped & funded by us, so that you have long term transport support that you can access yourself, without having to ask us for help each time, to help you to provide emergency care to wildlife. Here is our criteria & steps to take…

• If you’re a Vet Practice, click HERE to find out more.

• If you’re a Wildlife Rescue/Rehabber, click HERE to find out more.

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED TRANSPORT RIGHT NOW…

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• If you’re a member of the public or Vet Practice with an animal…

• Look at this MAP - is there a Rescue close to you?

• Contact that Rescue and ask them if they have space.  If they have space and can take in your wildlife casualty/orphan, ask if they can provide transport support to pick the animal up from you.  [They might not be able to, because...]

• Please be aware that any Wildlife Drivers are always volunteers and might not be available: they may even be on other transport jobs.

• However many drivers each Wildlife Rescue might have, please consider these options before asking for transport help...  Can you ask a staff member, friend, family member or neighbour to drive you or take the casualty to rehabilitative care on your behalf?

• If you absolutely cannot transport yourself and the Rescue cannot provide transport support, it's worth asking the Rescue if they would accept the animal in a TAXI, to get the wildlife casualty/orphan to them.  As long as the Rescue is on our APPROVED LIST, UKWT will reimburse any taxi expenses back to you within 5 working days (on receipt of proof of expenses, such as a receipt from the taxi company).  [If you're a member of the public and you don't have the funds to cover a taxi upfront, ask friends & family to lend you money for the taxi - show them this page and assure them that the funds will be reimbursed to them.]  The best way to organise a taxi to transport an animal for you is...  Tell them that essentially they will be transporting a box from A - B (from you to the Rescue) and that the box - which will be securely closed, with lots of air holes for the animal to breathe - just needs to go on a seat with a seatbelt around it.  Say that the taxi will be paid for in advance, either over the phone or by yourself when the animal is being picked up.  

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To prepare an animal for transport in a taxi, follow these guidelines...  Have the animal in a box with a towel in, so that the animal is comfortable and not sliding around.  (If the animal is a rodent and might be able to chew through a box or escape in other ways, get advice from the Rescue on what container is best to use).  Make sure there are enough air holes in the box.  NEVER put food and water in the box to travel with the animal during transport: the food and water will just splash all over the animal during the journey.  Ask the taxi driver to kindly follow these welfare conditions during transport (explain that it could be the difference between life and death for the animal, as it will lower the stress levels during transport)...  "Please don’t play music or smoke when driving or have the windows open.  Please don’t open the box or take photographs of the wildlife you are transporting."

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AND...

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• If you’re a Wildlife Rescue and are trying to bring an animal to you and no Volunteer Drivers are available…

• Feel free to post in the UKWT Facebook Group asking for transport help from the Finder to your Rescue.  [Please note that we will only approve posts that ask for transport support to Rescues on the WCB Map.] 

• If you think it feasible to organise a taxi to bring the animal to you - as long as you are a Rescue on our APPROVED LIST - UKWT will reimburse any taxi expenses within 5 working days (on receipt of proof of expenses, such as a receipt from the taxi company).

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