The Wild West of wildlife rehab?

To many members of the public, and to some veterinary professionals, the rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals may seem like an uncomplicated virtue, a simple case of compassion in action. But the reality is far from uncomplicated. Veterinary treatment of wildlife is beset with ethical minefields. Its relatively unregulated nature has prompted calls for new legislation. With the internet awash with examples of 'have-a-go' wildlife rehabilitators, is it time for the sector to be brought under tighter control? Josh Loeb investigates.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Veterinary Record
Published
2026-05-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.70841
Primary Topic
Human-Animal Interaction Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The Wild West of wildlife rehab?

Josh Loeb
Veterinary Record
Human-Animal Interaction Studies
article

The Wild West of wildlife rehab?

Josh Loeb
article en

Abstract

To many members of the public, and to some veterinary professionals, the rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals may seem like an uncomplicated virtue, a simple case of compassion in action. But the reality is far from uncomplicated. Veterinary treatment of wildlife is beset with ethical minefields. Its relatively unregulated nature has prompted calls for new legislation. With the internet awash with examples of 'have-a-go' wildlife rehabilitators, is it time for the sector to be brought under tighter control? Josh Loeb investigates.

Veterinary RecordVol. 198(11)
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Human-Animal Interaction Studies
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