It depends! Wildlife Center of Salt Lake rehabilitates and releases wild, native Utah species. Birds such as European starlings, house sparrows, pigeons, and domestic ducks are not native species, and therefore are not our focus. We may be able to still help so please call us (801-800-1776) to find out if we are able to take the animal you have found.

If you found a domestic pet (domestic duck, chicken, dog, cat, ferret, banded pigeon, etc.) you should contact your local city-run animal services. If you found a wild animal and we are not open, or you believe there is another facility closer to you, please consult the Utah DWR list of wildlife rehabilitators for all the licensed locations in the state. Please note that if they are not on the UDWR website, they are not permitted.

There are strict federal and state laws governing the rehabilitation and release of native species. There are facilities in Utah that are operating without permitting and licensing. If the facility is not listed on the UDWR website, they are not legally allowed to take native species.

The staff and volunteers at Wildlife Center of Salt Lake have decades of professional animal experience, as well as secondary and continued education in the field. Additionally, it is illegal to rehabilitate native species without state and federal permits. Due to this, we strongly advise that general members of the public do not try to rehabilitate and release wild animals on their own. If you are interested in working directly with wild animals, Wildlife Center of Salt Lake runs a robust volunteer program, and welcomes anyone interested in the field of wildlife rehabilitation to join us. By joining us as a volunteer, you will receive the support and education to get wild animals back into the wild.