animal. Wear protective clothing and equipment, such as leather gloves, to avoid bites or scratches; wash your hands well after handling the animal. Signs of injury or illness Blood, wounds or swelling on the body Body covered in fleas Unusual or uneven loss of fur or feathers Difficult or raspy breathing or sneezing A dangling leg or wing Closed eyes; head tucked under wing Care Necessary To Help The Animal Contact a wildlife rehabilitator who can help you assess the situation and provide advice on what action to take. If specialized and immediate care is necessary to help the animal, take it to a wildlife rehabilitator or a veterinarian within 24 hours of capture. If you must handle the animal, follow the instructions provided by the wildlife rehabilitator on how to minimize risk of injury to yourself and to the animal. Wear protective clothing and equipment, such as leather gloves, to avoid bites or scratches, and wash hands well after handling the animal. It is important to recognize that many of the volunteer-operated organizations have limited capacity to accept animals, especially during the spring. Diseased or Dead Wildlife To report dead animals, including birds or bats, contact the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre ( www.ccwhc.ca ) at 1-866-673-4781. If you suspect there is a public health risk from a sick wild animal, such as rabies, or you or your pet had contact with a suspected rabid animal, contact your local Public Health Unit immediately. Rabies is fatal for humans and