Found a lost animal?
Wyndham council has a 24-hour ranger service to collect stray and lost animals. If you have found an animal, please contact the local Wyndham ranger on 1300 023 411.
Also see: Dogs Wandering or Running at Large | Wyndham City and Contained Dog Or Cat | Wyndham City
Have you lost your pet?
If you have lost an animal, please read: Lost Animals | Wyndham City
If your pet has been microchipped and the details on the microchip registry are up-to-date, then vet clinics and the local pound may reunite your pet with you upon proof of identification. In the western suburbs of Melbourne, all animals that can’t be reunited get sent to the Lost Dog’s Home, where they are held for 8 days and assessed before their fate is decided.
***Special note on stray cats***
Please note that there is currently a nationwide shortage of cat vaccinations. Due to legislation, no pound or rescue is allowed to rehome a stray kitten/cat without it being vaccinated. The vaccine shortage is causing major issues for veterinary clinics, local council pounds, the Lost Dog’s Home, and rescue organizations. Wyndham council has sent a letter to all local veterinary clinics stating that they may not be able to accept stray cats and kittens from clinics until a solution is found. We, at Central Veterinary Clinic & Hospital, have had calls from distressed residents saying the council will not accept the stray kittens they have found. The council has also refused to pick up stray cats/kittens from us unless we can prove they are vaccinated.
How you, the public, can help. If you have a semi-stray cat in your neighbourhood that you are planning to surrender, if you can manage to look after it until January/February next year, when new vaccine stocks are due to come through, then that means the current limited vaccine stocks can be reserved for those in need. Alternatively, if you have no option but to surrender stray kittens or a cat, if you are able to fund their vaccination/s (if available) at your local vet clinic, this will help enable them to be rehomed.
Have you found injured wildlife?
If you have found an injured wildlife, please contact: 03 8400 7300 or see Wildlife Victoria – Contact
If you have found an injured bird or wildlife, please take it to a physical veterinary clinic, either a 24-hour emergency clinic or a regular vet clinic during standard hours. Note that Wildlife Victoria only takes on native Wildlife. Introduced species are classed as pests. As such, veterinarians are legally obliged to euthanise non-native injured wildlife. Wildlife Victoria is frequently sort for species identification prior to such an outcome.
Kidnapping
A special note on baby birds. If you find a baby bird alone on the ground, please be aware that this is often a normal process when fledgling baby birds are first learning to fly. The parents kick them out of the nest and the fledgling forages on the ground whilst first learning to fly. They may look lost and alone but usually the parents are nearby, keeping a close eye on it and bringing it food. Unless the bird is in immediate danger or injured, the best chance for that bird is to leave it alone. If you bring it to a clinic and it is non-native or if it is too young to survive without assisted feeding, then the chances for survival are slim. Too many birds have their life ended early because they are inadvertently kidnapped by the well-meaning public.