Animal FAQs

There are a lot of wild animals in my backyard. Do you deal with them in any way?

No. Animal Services is prohibited by the State of NC to handle wild animals unless they are sick or injured; even then that person must be a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Do not confine them as we will end up releasing them back into your yard anyway. Find out how to co-habitat with wildlife by heading over to the Living with Wildlife section.

The Char-Meck ordinance also prohibits people to own exotic animals such as tigers and monkeys.

Can I own a wild animal?

No. Char-Meck ordinances prohibit people from owning wildlife of any kind. This includes animals that could be dangerous (such as venomous snakes) and animals that are considered to hybrids (such as wolf/dog or Savannah cats). If you are caught with a wild animal in your possession, they will be seized.

I found a baby wild animal in my yard. Can you come get it?

Each baby animal differs in regards to our response. In general, please leave them alone unless they are injured. Below are some helpful tips if you come across certain baby wildlife.

If you find a baby bird that has fallen out of the nest and is not injured, you can return it to the nest IF you can safely reach it. If it is injured, an Animal Services Officer will pick it up and bring it to the shelter. From there, if the injury is minor and can be treated, staff will contact the local bird rehabbers.
If you find a baby rabbit (or a nest of baby rabbits) and they are not injured, we will not pick them up. Leave them be and their mother will find them. If they are injured, an AC&C Officer will pick them up and bring them in. If the injury is minor and can be treated, staff will contact wildlife rehabbers.
If you find a baby deer in thick weeds/grass, or inside/under bushes, leave them be. Mom is nearby and will not return while you, or any other danger, are there. Leave the baby there for 24 hours. If it is still in the exact spot after that time, call 311 and officer will respond. From there, as long as the baby is healthy, staff will contact a wildlife rehabber.

If you would like to find a rehabber on your own, you can visit Carolina Waterfowl Rescue website or NC Wildlife website to find a list of licensed rehabbers.

I found a wild animal in my house! What do I do?

If you have found a wild animal in your home that is considered dangerous or possible rabies exposure you can call 311 and have an Animal Services Officer respond to your house. Animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, and large birds will be removed from the home and released outside per NC State law. Animals such as bats and raccoons will be removed from the home and impounded as they pose a potential rabies virus riskper NC Health Department law. Because of this risk, it’s extremely important that any dogs/cats/ferrets you have in the home are vaccinated against the rabies virus.
AC&C Officers will not respond to animals such as lizards and song birds in your home.

There’s a wild animal in my yard/in the woods behind my house and it’s the middle of the day. Should I be concerned about rabies?

Not necessarily. Not all wild animals that are out during the day have the rabies virus. It just means that they are out foraging for food or heading to a new location for safety. To learn more about wildlife visit our Living with Wildlife page.