What to do with injured wild animals in Germany

By USAG Ansbach Environmental Management Division

ANSBACH, Germany (July 29, 2020) – U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach community members may remember a recent Facebook post that involved a hurt kestrel fledgling. This case raised questions about what to do if you come across a wild animal in distress or have an accident involving a wild animal.

Generally speaking, it is advised to always exercise caution when dealing with wild animals. Wild animals are often shy and try to avoid human contact, so if you find one and it does not try to escape it might be in serious distress or even sick. For that reason, refrain from touching any apparently injured animal or taking it into custody.

Also, do not bring it to the Ansbach Veterinary Treatment Clinic on Katterbach Kaserne. The clinic does not have the personnel, or the supplies to take care of any wild animals. Some species, such as birds of prey or hedgehogs, need a specialist that our vet clinic does not have on staff.

Community members can contact the Environmental Management Division at DSN 467-2225 or CIV 09802-83-2225 during office hours, for help contacting an off-post specialist. Outside of office hours, community members will need to contact a specialist directly:

* Depending on where you are, for example in the Ansbach area, you can contact:

Dr. Wolfgang Grotzner, Triesdorfer Str. 59, 91522 Ansbach, who speaks English and will take emergencies 24/7 .

Tel: 09819-70660

* If you are in the Marktbergel/Bad Windsheim/Lenkersheim area, contact:

Dr. Jutta Backert-Isert, Ergertsheimerstr. 4, 91438 Bad Windsheim, who speaks English, and offers 24/7 phone service

Tel: 09841-6895090

* You can also contact the Nürnberg emergency vet clinic:

Dr. Bernard Schweizer, Moosbacher Weg 31, 91555 Feuchtwangen, speaks English, 24/7 phone service.

Tel: 09852-67200

If you hit a large animal, like a deer or a wild boar, with a vehicle, leaving it injured or dead, you are obliged to inform the area’s hunting tenant (Jagdpächter). Since you may not know who that is, contact the German police (Polizei) to let them know what happened.

Alternatively, you can inform the military police who will pass the information to the Polizei. The military police are also the only ones that can go out on any animal calls and will take the injured animal to the local animal shelter (Tierheim), once you have exhausted all options listed above.

 

(Photos: Pixabay)
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