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If you notice an apparently sick or injured goose or other wild animal alone this winter, please resist the urge to try to help it. You might think you’re saving a life, but you’re actually risking it and could be endangering yourself.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has had several cases of well-meaning people picking up geese that have landed in parking lots or yards and taking them in. It’s done out of concern for the animal, but almost always does more harm than good.
Some individuals have wrapped geese in a blanket and held them to warm them, which is highly discouraged for a variety of reasons. Geese can carry diseases such as avian influenza, they can be aggressive and cause injury, they can become habituated to humans and less likely to survive in the wild, and it is illegal to possess them or any other wild animal.
Wild animals thrive better where they have plenty of natural habitat, and humans are not equipped to care for them properly. FWP also does not accept, hold or rehabilitate moose, deer, elk and most other animals, including waterfowl. If you bring an animal to FWP, you may be asked to take the animal back to the site where it was found. If the animal can't be returned, it may need to be humanely euthanized.
It's understandable to want to help, but it’s best to let nature take its course.
What can you do?
- Leave the animal there. That animal may be fine on its own.
- Control your dog.?Pet owners can be cited and dogs that harass or kill wildlife may by law have to be destroyed.
- Keep cats indoors. Many birds nest and feed on the ground. Bacteria in cat saliva are toxic to birds, so even if a cat does not immediately kill a bird, its bite often leads to infection and death.
If you are unsure if an animal needs help, call your local wildlife biologist or regional FWP office. Do not approach that animal or remove it from the site, and do not bring it to a veterinarian. For questions, contact your regional FWP office at 406-234-0900.
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