Rule #1 of Wildlife Rehabilitation is to avoid having to do it. Unless you know absolutely, positively without question that the mother is dead - give her every chance to return to her babies. See our page on Wildlife Care for more information. Many wild mothers stand by just out of sight watching as their babies are taken away. With some species, the father also cares for the infants, so even if the mother is dead, the father is willing and able to care for his offspring.

Injured animals must be brought to a veterinarian who handles wildlife or a wildlife rehabilitator promptly. Delay may prevent the animal from being able to heal properly. Prevent injuries by being a responsible pet owner.

Rule #2 is call a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area immediately. Stabilize the animal and ensure it is safe, warm, quiet and dark. Then call. See International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's List of Emergency Procedures. If you are in Northern Mississippi, call us at 662-429-5105. If you are not in our area, visit Ronda DeVold's on-line listing of rehabilitation contacts, call your veterinarian or your local office of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Each species of wild animal or bird has different nutrition and care requirements. What works for your canary most likely will not work for that baby songbird. What works for your dog won't work for a fawn or a fox, and what works for your hamster won't save that baby squirrel. Cow's milk is especially dangerous to wildlife. It provides calories, but the animal consuming it will slowly die of malnutrition due to the fact that it is not getting the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in a form it can digest.

• Orphaned baby animals and birds need frequent, small feedings. Once or twice a day will torture and slowly kill them. Feeding them too much at one time can asphyxiate them. Some very young birds need to be fed every 20 minutes! Wildlife Rehabilitators are not able to shop, attend church or otherwise leave their "patients" until they have been successfully released. Many wildlife rehabilitators work as a team so that they have time to attend to their own basic necessities!

• Injured animals need immediate medical care. Broken bones set improperly, infections spread and parasites multiply. Otherwise healthy birds are not able to return to the wild because some well-meaning soul kept them with a broken wing or leg for too long. See our stories about Binaiadee and Nyol hik`eh ko for examples of this. Broken bones begin to calcify and reset within a day or two of the break.

• Proper hygiene procedures must be closely followed. Using the wrong soaps can do more harm than good, and not cleaning an animal or bird that has passed waste may allow parasites to establish, prevent the animal from eating properly or cause an infection.

• Wild animals and birds often carry diseases and parasites dangerous to humans and domestic animals. Rabies and baylisascaris - a type of roundworm common in raccoons, bears and skunks can be contracted by humans and/or their pets. Canine distemper is a real threat to unvaccinated domestic pets. They are not always evident at first. These diseases and parasites may be fatal.

Rule #4 is that wild animals and birds do not and will not love you. They may depend upon you for food, but you are universally viewed as a predator. They may need nurturing as a baby, but as an adolescent they want no more of that. They may need you for medical care while recovering from a severe wound, but once healed want to be free. No matter how well meaning, loving and caring you may be, a wild animal or bird retains the instinctual feeling that you will eventually kill it.

Rule #5 is that caring for wildlife is NOT a good lesson for children. Children should be taught respect for wildlife, but they do not need to touch them to appreciate them. Considering the high mortality rate, diseases and inborn aggression of wild animals, children should not be around them. The constant activity, noise and sudden movements of children cause great stress to a wild animal or bird in captivity. Children can not be trusted to touch them gently. An overly enthusiastic squeeze could crush a bird's bones or damage the internal organs of any animal.