Prevent your pet cats and dogs from attacking and/or playing with wildlife. Don’t allow dogs to run without supervision and raise cats indoors. Many injured animals are brought to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital with fatal wounds from dog or cat attacks.
Educate children to respect all wild creatures and their habitats. Wild animals are not playthings and should be allowed to go about their lives undisturbed. Children should not to throw rocks at wildlife or disturb them if they are resting on the beach or roosting in trees.
Pick up litter that could harm wildlife, including sixpack rings, plastic bags, fishing tackle, and old pieces of carpet or netting.
Do not trap or in any other way cause harm to wildlife.
Leave infant wildlife alone, since they are seldom truly orphans. A parent may be nearby foraging for food or will return at dusk. If you find young birds on the ground, attempt to return them to their nest or, if they’re learning to fly, place them in a tree for safety if pets are nearby.
Be alert when driving, especially in rural areas, to avoid hitting wildlife. Please stop when possible and move turtles from the roadway or shoulder. Always move them in the direction they were heading.
Check trees before trimming or cutting them down to make sure there are no active nests. If dead trees pose no hazard, leave them standing. They provide homes for a variety of wildlife, such as woodpeckers, owls, and squirrels. Try to avoid trimming trees during the spring and summer nesting seasons.
Use non-toxic products on your lawn and garden when fertilizing.
Plant native trees and shrubs to provide homes and food sources for wildlife. Many migrating species are attracted to areas with native vegetation.
Do not attempt to raise or keep wildlife as pets. Not only is it illegal, but wild animals do not make good pets and captivity poses a constant stress to them. Young wild animals raised without contact with their own species fail to develop survival skills and fear of humans, virtually eliminating their chances of surviving in the wild.
Alert birds to large expanses of glass in your home by hanging reflective streamers nearby. Reducing the reflection should cut down on the number of birds who collide, often fatally, with doors and windows.
Do not leave fishing line or fish hooks unattended and retrieve any kite string left on the ground or entangled in trees.
Look before mowing your lawn. Walk through the area to make sure no rabbits or ground nesting birds are in harm’s way.
Do not feed wildlife. Feeding encourages animals to become dependent on handouts, lose their fear of humans, and to congregate in unnaturally large groups, increasing the chances of disease transmission.
"A Week Inside the von Arx Wildlife" is written weekly by Joanna Fitzgerald, director of the hospital. It is also published every Saturday in the Naples Daily News.
Learn more
If you are unable to donate money and you would still like to help, please see our list of items that are always needed inside the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.
The team at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital relies on dedicated volunteers to help treat over 3,200 injured, sick or orphaned animals each year. Volunteer opportunities are diverse and challenging.