Wild injured gang gang

[GregH]

From Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment

Can injured wildlife be kept?
Many people ask if “unreleasable” animals can be kept as pets. The answer to this is definitely no. These are wild animals and a life in captivity isn’t an option. Any animal that cannot be rehabilitated and released back into the wild must be humanely destroyed. The only exception to this rule is where threatened or rare species are involved. Under these circumstances, DSE may authorise a licensed zoo to be keep these animals.

Never attempt to raise or keep wildlife yourself. Not only is it illegal, but wild creatures do not make good pets and captivity can distress them. Sick, injured or orphaned wildlife may only be legally kept and cared for by people authorised as wildlife shelter operators by the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Wildlife shelters operators are experienced in the care and rehabilitation of wildlife for rapid release back into the wild.

So there is a back-door in Victoria if the animal is endangered and you are a licensed zoo. The inconsistency between states would indicate that either there is a flawed bit of logic or that the the circumstances are significant different (e.g. does South Australia spends more on wildlife administration and so can monitor these animals). I'm sure that it's the former.

[jusdeb]

Thats OK but they shouldnt put all injured critters in the one basket ..

Young injured parrots make awesome companion birds when cared for properly after an injury .

Silly people make it so there is no grey area , only black and white .

[GregH]

I'm also concerned by the word "pet" in Departmental communications. From my understanding and that of Dictionary.com; a pet is:

1. any domesticated or tamed animal that is kept as a companion and cared for affectionately.
2. a person especially cherished or indulged; favorite: He was the teacher's pet.
3. a thing particularly cherished.

As an aviculturist I consider very few birds pets but stock. That's not to say I don't care for them but I do know that many of the AFF member facilities are far superior to that offered by the ordinary suburban household wanting to hold a kingfisher in a small budgie cage. A one size fit's all rule like that of DSEs reeks of a lack of understanding and perhaps funding to investigate each well meaning person wanting to keep an unreleasable animal. The very fact that various classes of bird licences already exist shows that they do know that there is a range of experience and facilities available and some of those would definitely be able to keep unreleasables just as well as any zoo. So the law as it stands lets everyone surrounding a National park keep 3 cats each but should the cat fail to kill the gang gangs outright then an authorised wildlife carer must do so because death is preferable to captivity. Sounds like PETA are already in control here .

[arthur]

From Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment

Can injured wildlife be kept?

Never attempt to raise or keep wildlife yourself. Not only is it illegal, but wild creatures do not make good pets and captivity can distress them. S.

Grasswren's Peregrine doesn't sound too distressed

[jusdeb]

Seen plenty of rescues parrots that are thriving in their new role as companion bird ...they even seem to appreciate that the human has saved them from certain death ....

Shouldnt put all wildlife into one category ..

[maz]

I know Healesville have a lot of unreleased injured birds, they had the one winged blue kookaburra, a few injured birds of prey as well as other's I can't think of at the moment, I really think that they are probably your best legal option (either that or just keep it and shhhh)

[arthur]

Ijust keep it and shhhh)

As with a lot of issues . .

Usually better to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission

[jusdeb]

Just dont let the right hand know what the left hand is doing ...Can always say " oh Im sorry I didnt know "

[grasswren]

I know of a pair of brown harriers who both had injuries he could barely fly she could had trouble with her legs they successfully bred in 2010 bringing up their 2 young in captivity which to me proves a point where there is a will there is a way. I have to put in a return at the end of February and june On every licenced bird I have including rescued birds I need NPWS permission to pass him on to a appropriate person or organisation. and SA has had tremendous cutbacks in the department and like a lot of other departments is top heavy Too many bosses not enough indians Rescue permits are not handed out to just anyone YOU have to have experiance in that species of bird or animal

[woodstockaus]

Also in Victoria, we found an injured magpie and took it to our local vet. They checked it out and said that if it survived the night they'd send it on to a wildlife carer the next day. It didn't survive, but the point is that the vet seemed to know how to contact the correctly-licensed person to look after it. Maybe worth checking around the local vets to see if they have similar contacts?