Jun 9, 2002 4 min read

HARRISBURG – Did you ever want to bring Lyme disease or Baylisacaris roundworms into your home? Does a month-long series of rabies shots sound like an enjoyable time? If neither of these situations sounds appealing, then take the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s advice and leave wildlife – especially young wildlife – in the wild where it belongs. “We repeatedly have urged Pennsylvanians to resist the temptation of adopting wildlife because of the risk of bringing wildlife-borne diseases into their homes,” said Vern Ross, Game Commission executive director. “Even a reminder about the potential fines for each animal taken out of the wild does not seem to serve as a deterrent for some individuals.

“Every year, we receive hundreds of calls from residents who want to know how they should care for young wildlife or nests they believe have been abandoned. What people must remember is that wildlife uses methods quite different than those humans use to protect their young.”

As an example, Ross noted that a young fawn found curled up in tall grass most likely is employing what is known as the ‘hider strategy,’ where the fawn tucks up and hides in the grass and the adult doe runs off in an attempt to distract potential predators. Once a doe believes that the coast is clear, she returns to the fawn. However, if a human intervenes and removes the fawn, their good intentions have only served to separate the two.

Wildlife frequently leaves its young unattended while adults forage and hunt for food that they will feed to young or consume themselves. Feeding a clutch of young birds or litter of small mammals is a demanding daily process that separates adults from young.

“While it may appear as if unattended young wildlife has been abandoned, the chances are greater that the adult or adults are off foraging for food or waiting for you to leave so that they may return to their young,” Ross said. “Picking up the young animal is the worst thing you can do for it, and is an open invitation to rabies or some other wildlife disease. What’s more, it’s against the law. Either way, it simply is not a good idea.”

Under a working agreement with state health officials, any “high risk” rabies vector species confiscated must be euthanized and tested, rather than relocated. Species identified in the agreement are: skunks; raccoons; foxes; bats; coyotes; and groundhogs. And, under no circumstances will people who illegally take wildlife into captivity be allowed to keep that animal.

“Except for some species of bats, populations of all other rabies vector species are thriving,” Ross said. “Therefore, to protect public health and ensure safety, it is imperative that we euthanize animals for testing, rather than risk relocating a potentially rabid animal.”

As noted in an earlier Game Commission announcement

, Dr. James Rankin, state Health Department epidemiologist, said it always is wise to avoid wild animals and even strange domestic pets because of the potential rabies risk.

“Animals infected with rabies may not show obvious symptoms, but still may be able to transmit the disease,” Dr. Rankin said. He stressed that people can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if the saliva gets into the person’s eyes, mouth or a fresh wound. Contact with wildlife and any strange domestic animals should be avoided.

“The bottom line to this message is that wild animals are not meant to be pets, and we must all resist our urge to want to care for wildlife in our homes,” Ross said. “Taking wildlife from its natural setting and into your home may lead to the transmission of diseases, such as rabies, to people or domestic animals. Wildlife also may carry parasites — such as fleas, roundworms, ticks or lice — that you wouldn’t want infesting you, your home or your pets.”

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