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Junior Paws
Welcome to our Junior Paws page. This page is for our younger RSPCA supporters!
Do me a favour - don't touch!
Every spring and summer the RSPCA is contacted by thousands of people who find what they think is an abandoned young bird or other orphaned animal.
In most cases these youngsters have not been abandoned and 'rescuing' them may do more harm than good.
Their mother is usually close by and looking out for them, so usually there is no need to worry!
Don't panic if you see a young wild animal on its own.
Young Birds
If you find a young bird out of its nest it is probably a fledgling - they will have grown all or most of their feathers and are very mobile and can walk, run and hop on to low branches.
The parents of fledglings are rarely far away. If you are worried about the young bird, leave the site and return an hour or so later - you will almost certainly find that the parents have taken care of the youngster.
If you think the bird is really all alone, put it in a dark, warm box and take it to your nearest vets or RSPCA centre.
Young Deer
If you come across a young deer, remember that they are also very resiliant in the wild but are very difficult to rehabilitate.
If you see a young deer (a fawn), chances are it is waiting for its mother (a roe).
Fawns can walk within an hour of being born and follow their mother unless she intends to travel a long distance. This is when a fawn will be left - usually in a covered area for safety, waiting for the mother to return.
Young Foxes
It is not uncommon for four-week old fox cubs to be outside their earth. Cubs learn how to develop their survival and hunting skills by spending their days alone, in and around patches of cover above ground.
Parent foxes or close relatives are usually nearby and, although the cubs may look vulnerable, intervention would probably do more harm than good.
If you are concerned about a young fox, and it is obviously sick, injured or distressed, contact the RSPCA for advice. Otherwise leave a supply of dog food and water nearby and check again after 24 hours.
In an emergency, keep handling to a minimum and take the cub to a vets or an RSPCA Wildlife Hospital or animal centre immediately. Remember to make a note of exactly where you found the cub.
COMPETITION TIME!
To be in with a chance of winning a year's free membership with the RSPCA Animal Action Club, all you have to do is design a poster about looking after animals all year round!
Send your entries to:
Junior Paws, RSPCA, 71-75 Barrack Street, Norwich, NR3 1WJ
Good Luck!
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