Excellence in Wildlife Care

Wildlife rehabilitation isn't just a passion project — it's a responsibility. Every animal that comes into your care is counting on you to give it a real chance at returning to the wild healthy and capable of surviving on its own. That's exactly what the WReNNZ Minimum Standards are designed to support. Whether you're just starting or have years of experience under your belt, here's what good practice actually looks like in the field.

Get the foundations right

Before you do anything else, make sure you're legally authorised by the Department of Conservation (DOC) to hold game and native animals in captivity. It's not just a formality — it's the foundation on which everything else is built. Pair that with ongoing training for yourself and any volunteers, and you're already ahead of the curve. Resources like the DOC Wildlife Health online course and WildWays Learn Bird Care Courses are worth bookmarking.

Learn to read the animal

Birds are wired to hide when they're unwell — it's an instinct that keeps them safe in the wild, but it can make your job harder. A bird that looks "fine" might be anything but. Watch for subtle signs like changes in posture, unusual irritability, overpreening, lethargy, or a rhythmic tail bob that signals respiratory effort. And when it comes to treatment decisions, lean on objective data — body weight measurements and blood results — rather than instinct alone.

Juvenile Pigeon - Photo Credit Mandy Robertson

Build a real relationship with your vet

A good vet partnership isn't optional — it's a requirement. Drugs should only ever be administered under veterinary direction, and your vet can issue Veterinary Operating Instructions (VOIs) that allow you to administer specific medications under defined conditions. Think of your vet as a core part of your team, not just someone you call in a crisis.

Take health and safety seriously — for everyone's sake

Zoonotic diseases (those that can pass between animals and humans) are a real risk in this work. Simple habits make a big difference: wash or sanitise your hands between each patient, keep animal food-prep areas completely separate from human ones, and use PPE — gloves, aprons, gumboots — whenever it's called for. These aren't box-ticking exercises; they protect you and your animals.

Photo Credit Mandy Robertson

Keep human contact to a minimum

It can be tempting to let people visit, share cute photos, or give a recovering animal a little extra attention — but for a wild animal, human contact is stressful and can lead to imprinting, which seriously undermines their chances in the wild. Keep things quiet. Limit foot traffic. If you do share anything on social media, make sure it reflects the professionalism of what you do, rather than making the animal look like a pet.

Match the housing to the stage of recovery

A small, clean indoor enclosure is ideal for stabilisation, but as an animal recovers, it needs space — specifically outdoor aviaries where it can rebuild the muscle condition needed for flight or swimming. All outdoor enclosures must be fully predator-proofed against stoats, rats, and cats. This is non-negotiable in New Zealand.

Juvenile Pheasant - Photo Credit Mandy Robertson

Record everything from day one

Good records aren't just paperwork — they lead to better outcomes. When an animal comes in, document where, when, and how it was found. Conduct a thorough physical exam: weight, body symmetry, eyes, ears, and any signs of discharge or injury. You're required to keep individual patient records and submit annual reports to DOC, and that data contributes to a national picture of wildlife health that benefits everyone in the rehabilitation community.

Don't release too soon

This is perhaps the most important point of all. A release that happens too early can undo everything. Before any animal goes back into the wild, ask yourself: Can it fly or swim normally? Can it find, recognise and catch its own food? Does it show appropriate wariness around humans? For aquatic birds like penguins, full waterproofing is essential — 100% is the standard, not a rough target. And wherever possible, return the animal to the exact spot it was found.

Photo Credit Mandy Robertson

Wildlife rehabilitation, when done well, is quiet, careful, unglamorous work, but when an animal flies off or swims away on its own terms, fully equipped to survive — that's what it's all for.

For the full Minimum Standards document and additional resources, visit the WReNNZ website.

Article Written By

Mandy Robertson – Retired Rehabilitator

wildcarestudio.com