WILDLIFE – Nonreleasable Wildlife Lifetime Residents + Releasable Triage Protocol
Sundown specializes in lifetime care for nonreleasable native wildlife deemed nonreleasable by LDWF/USFWS, operating under LDWF Permitted Wildlife Rehabilitator (WRP) License Code K5 and USDA 72-C-0239.
Regarding wildlife babies: Just because a baby is without its mother DOES NOT mean it has been abandoned. Each species of wildlife is different and will raise and wean its young in different fashions. If you have a confirmed orphaned, injured, or distressed native wildlife baby, please follow LDWF WRP triage protocols: Do not feed or handle. Contain safely, keep warm/dark/quiet, and immediately contact a licensed professional at our Rehabilitators section to reach a professional LDWF-permitted rehabber. You may contact us if skunk, raccoon, or squirrel. Releasable wildlife is triaged and referred per LDWF protocols; nonreleasable wildlife receives lifetime sanctuary care under USDA 72-C-0239
BIRDS – 
Fledglings (fully feathered) often fall from trees and take shelter under bushes and thick shrubs, as they do not yet have the proper tail feathers (lift) needed to get back into the nest. Mama and Daddy still feed them and watch them closely. Unless visibly injured and in distress, put baby on the highest branch you can reach (hide baby in a leafy spot) to keep them away from strays and other predators. If baby is visibly injured, it has probably been attacked and will need rescue.
Nestlings (not fully feathered) that have fallen out of the nest should be placed back into the tree (on the highest branch you can reach and on the same side as the original nest). Screw a Tupperware bowl to the branch (punch tiny holes into the bottom so babies don’t drown when it rains), place grass into the bowl, and then place bird/s into the bowl. Monitor for about an hour to see if Mama comes to tend to them. If not, the babies will need rescue.
RABBITS 
If your lawn has gone over 2 weeks without being mowed … PLEASE give it a walk-through before you mow or weed-eat or now. Baby rabbits are left alone in tall grasses all day. Mom only visits the nest about twice a day to feed and tend to them. Please do not pick up! Baby rabbits are extremely susceptible to stress and are among the hardest species to rehabilitate, even by a veteran rehabber. Most will die without Mom’s expert care. Please be kind and section off this small area (allow an opening for Mom) and mow around. If you accidentally disturb the nest, put back any uninjured survivors and try to restore the nest as best as possible. The nest is usually a hole in the ground covered with grass, so it’s difficult to see sometimes. Mom will come back and tend to them and may move them upon realizing the nest has been tampered with and is no longer safe. Remove only the severely injured and contact a rehabber immediately. Keep baby in a safe, dark place until taken off your hands.
RACCOONS & SQUIRRELS
Babies begin to roam and explore at very early ages. And, at times, they can wander too far. But not necessarily so far that Mom can’t hear them calling. If you see a lone baby moving about without injury, watch from a distance for about a half-hour. If Mom has still not shown up by then, it may be
safe to assume the baby might need intervention. A tiny baby (eyes and ears still closed) in the open is NOT a good sign and will need immediate intervention. BE CAREFUL. Though rabies is highly overdramatized, Zoonotic disease is not fun. WEAR GLOVES and immediately take the baby to the nearest rehabber – or give us a call. DO NOT under any circumstances attempt to rehab on your own. Countless babies have died when they could have been saved by experienced rehabbers. Yes, they are cute, but this is about THEM, not us, and there is MUCH you do not know.
In the meantime, while waiting to hand over your abandoned baby, be sure to do the following:
1. Keep warm and quiet. Use a heating pad on low, and cover with a blanket.
2. Do NOT attempt to feed or rehydrate with Pedialyte or other commercial formulas!! They are way too high in sugar and magnesium and will cause tremendous harm to baby, even death. There is a ton of different and conflicting information online about commercial formulas, but instead of playing guessing games, Sundown has partnered with a professional animal nutritionist. We’ve also done the research. We know what is and what is not dangerous to babies. Please keep in mind that commercial entities are in it for money. It’s the sole reason they exist. Sundown is in it for life … and every single one matters.
3. Do not allow children to pet or hold the baby. It’s not a toy. Stress is the number one killer of wildlife. Put baby in a safe, secluded area until a professional rehabber can take over. Please note that not all rehabbers are professional. We have names and numbers of professional rehabbers that you can access in our WILDLIFE section.
The more you are in the know, the better able you will be to save our wildlife and give them a proper fighting chance.
Sundown Inc. ARE LDWF-Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators and Lifetime Sanctuary Providers — We Help the Public Every Day.
Our Dual Role for Lafayette Parish and Louisiana:
- AS LDWF-LICENSED REHABILITATORS (WRP Code K5): Sundown provides public assistance for native wildlife in need — triage, stabilization, and referral per LDWF WRP protocols. The public needs us to help, and we do: If you find injured, orphaned, or displaced native wildlife, contact us for immediate triage guidance. We will assess: Is parent return possible? Is stabilization needed? Is LDWF-licensed rehabilitator referral required? We coordinate with LDWF and network rehabilitators in Louisiana and Texas to ensure appropriate care for releasable wildlife.
- AS USDA LICENSED LIFETIME SANCTUARY (72-C-0239): For native wildlife deemed nonreleasable by LDWF/USFWS — due to injury, imprinting, or other nonreleasable criteria — Sundown provides fully qualified lifetime sanctuary care under USDA 72-C-0239. All sanctuary residents are lifetime residents. Sundown does not offer animals for adoption. Our commitment is lifetime stewardship.
Please do not attempt to rehabilitate wildlife on your own — it is illegal without LDWF licensing, and every life counts. Wildlife requires specialized licensing, zoonotic safety, diet, and caging protocols under LDWF WRP K5.
PUBLIC INTAKE PROTOCOL (Required by LDWF WRP K5): Before transport, you MUST contact us for triage and complete an Intake Form: INTAKE FORM (Print, complete, and provide to rescuer upon arrival). This protects the animal and you and ensures LDWF compliance. We currently provide triage and rehabilitation assistance for small mammals, including raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and other small mammals per WRP K5 authorization, with referral for other species as appropriate.
Wildlife Rehabilitator Links for Louisiana and Texas listed below.
For domestic animal needs: Lafayette Animal Shelter & Care Center (LASCC) — lascc@lafayettela.gov — 337-291-5644 — 410 N. Dugas Rd., Lafayette, LA 70507.
Public documentation of USDA 72-C-0239 and WRP K5 (redacted public permit) available at sundowninc.org/licensed-permitted.
Godspeed.
https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/permitted-wildlife-rehabilitators