Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust are a conservation charity and as such do not have the facilities to look after injured animals directly. Details of some local organisations and groups who may be able to help with specific cases can be found below.
General Advice & Notices
Wild animals will often scratch or bite when scared or injured. Please proceed with caution if you wish to attempt to approach or handle an animal you believe to be hurt.
Seasonal Notice – Baby Birds Out of the Nest
If you see an uninjured, feathered baby bird out of the nest, please pick up the bird carefully and put it in a safe place off the ground and away from danger such as a hedge. Under no circumstances remove it from the area you find it in, as the parents continue to feed their chicks even out of the nest for up to three weeks.
Reporting Wildlife Crime
South Yorkshire Police
If you are witnessing a suspected wildlife crime in progess call 999 immediately and ask for the police.
For all other enquires call your local Police on 101.
Injured and/or distressed animals
If you have found an injured or distressed animal, the following organisations should be able to provide advice or assistance.
Please note that some of the listed organisations are volunteer-led and/or have limited capacity, so may not be able to help at all times. Buttons are available for preferred contact methods below each listing (some groups may not have a phone number or website, or may only be contactable through their Facebook page or similar).
General assistance:
RSPCA
“Animals can rely on us to rescue them when they need us most”
Pet Samaritans Animal Sanctuary and Wildlife rescue
“For advice regarding injured wildlife, please call our wildlife rescue helpline on 07872 421 878 before bringing an animal to us”
Meltham Wildlife Rescue
“Meltham Wildlife Rescue is a small family run not-for-profit organisation based near Holmfirth that has been helping wildlife for over 20 years”
Mill House Animal Sanctuary
“The sanctuary, based in Fulwood, Sheffield, has rescued and cared for animals since 1948”
Mayfield Alpacas Animal Park
Mayfield Alpacas may be able to help or advise for a range of wildlife, not just alpacas!
Help Wildlife Rescue Directory
“A charity-run site aiming to provide advice to members of the public who find wildlife casualties”
Environment Agency
“We work to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development”
Animal-specific wildlife rescue or advice organisations
Badgers
South Yorkshire Badger Group
“We provide a shelter where sick, injured or orphaned badgers are rehabilitated before being released”
Bats
Bat Conservation Trust
“The Bat Conservation Trust supports local bat groups across the UK”
Birds
The Special Branch
“We try to help ill, injured and orphaned garden birds in Sheffield”
Pigeon Rescue and Rehabilitation Chesterfield
“We raise and release young birds that cannot be placed back in the nest”
Frogs and other amphibians
Froglife
“Froglife is a national wildlife charity committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles”
Hedgehogs
British Hedgehog Preservation Society
“The BHPS offers help and advice to those with sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs and maintains a list of rehabilitators in the UK”
For The Love of Hedgehogs
“I am a small hedgehog rescue set up in 2019. I run this from my back garden”
Wath Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation
“A very small rescue in South Yorkshire, in the Dearne Valley area”
Squirrels
National Squirrel Rescue
Please note it is now illegal to rehabilitate and release grey squirrels even if they have been injured and treated.
Reporting dead animals
Sheffield City Council
“You can report any dead animals you find on the road to us. This includes wild animals like badgers and foxes, as well as domestic pets such as cats and dogs”
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
“Use the form to report a dead animal on a road, pavement or footpath”
Information on this page is up-to-date at the time of publication and is made available for ease of information. Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust do not necessarily endorse any of the groups or services listed and are not responsible for the quality of service provided by each of the external organisations.
If a local rescue centre, group or organisation is missing from this list we’d love to know about it! Please contact us with full details.