Wildlife Rescue Numbers in Greater Boston
Urban wildlife in Greater Boston
Greater Boston is not separate from wildlife habitat. Parks, cemeteries, rail corridors, river edges, campuses, vacant lots, rooflines and backyard plantings form a connected urban landscape used by hawks, owls, gulls, geese, turtles, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes. Many animals move most visibly at dawn, dusk and overnight, then remain hidden during busier daytime hours.
In the city, the most common reports are not dramatic attacks or rare predators. They are practical situations: a bird that hit a window, a rabbit nested beside a stoop, a baby squirrel on a sidewalk after a storm, a hawk grounded in a courtyard, or a coyote resting in a landscaped area before moving on. Intervention is usually needed for visible injury, inability to stand or fly, cat-caught wildlife, or immediate danger from traffic, dogs, people or construction.
Key wildlife rescue numbers for Greater Boston
MassWildlife – Wildlife assistance
General advice on injured or sick wildlife, possible rabies risks, and conflicts with wild animals anywhere in Massachusetts.
- Phone: 508‑389‑6300
- Best for: statewide questions and referrals.
- Service area: all of Massachusetts.
Animal Rescue League of Boston – Field Services
Responds to many wildlife emergencies in Greater Boston, including injured birds and mammals in yards, courtyards, school grounds, industrial lots and public spaces, often in coordination with local authorities and animal control.
- Phone: 617‑426‑9170 ext. 563
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30 am–5:30 pm.
- Focus: injured, trapped or distressed wildlife in the Boston area.
MSPCA – Wildlife information
Useful when you are not sure whether a bird, rabbit, squirrel, coyote or other wild animal actually needs rescue, or whether normal observation is the better choice.
- Phone: 617‑383‑1210
- Best for: “Is this normal?” questions.
- Can direct you to local rehabilitators.
New England Wildlife Center – Weymouth
Non-profit wildlife hospital serving Greater Boston and the South Shore. Provides medical care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wild animals. Always call ahead before transporting any animal, because admissions and species acceptance can vary by season and capacity.
- Wildlife hotline: 781‑682‑4878
- Wildlife admissions: Monday–Friday, 10:00 am–2:00 pm, call ahead.
- Location: South Weymouth, MA.
Boston Animal Care and Control
Best for wildlife problems inside the City of Boston when the animal is on a street, sidewalk, school property, city park, athletic field or other public space, or when public safety and traffic are part of the problem.
- Phone: 617‑635‑5348
- Best for: Boston-only cases involving public property, street hazards or urgent city response.
- Service area: City of Boston; other municipalities use their own local animal control.
Tufts Wildlife Clinic – North Grafton
University-based wildlife hospital that provides advanced care for many species, including carnivores and large mammals. Always call first; they cannot accept every case and may direct you to another licensed rehabilitator.
- Phone: 508‑839‑7918
- Best for: guidance or referral when local options are limited.
- Location: North Grafton, MA.
Massachusetts Environmental Police
State law enforcement agency that responds to serious public safety concerns involving large wild carnivores, poaching or other wildlife-related law enforcement issues.
- 24‑hour line: 1‑800‑632‑8075
- Use for: bobcats, coyotes, foxes and other carnivores posing an immediate risk to people.
- Service area: statewide.
Other wildlife regions in Massachusetts
If you are near the edge of Greater Boston, check a nearby regional page too. Some wildlife responders and rehabilitators cover more than one area.
What to do first in Greater Boston
- Create space right away. Keep people, dogs and curious onlookers back. In city settings, crowding is often the thing that turns a manageable wildlife problem into a worse one.
- Check the immediate hazard. Is the animal near traffic, bikes, glass, construction, playgrounds, an MBTA stop, a school entrance or an active dog area? That affects who you should call first.
- Pin the location precisely. Use a street address, nearest intersection, park entrance, building name, courtyard number or transit stop. “Near the Charles” or “behind the school” is usually not enough.
- Choose the first call by situation.
- Boston public space or street hazard: Boston Animal Care and Control.
- Injured wildlife in Greater Boston: ARL Field Services.
- Not sure whether intervention is needed: MSPCA wildlife information line.
- Need intake guidance or a treatment destination: New England Wildlife Center or Tufts, after you call first.
- Do not feed, give water or chase the animal. That causes more harm than most people realize, especially with birds, rabbits and young mammals.
- If a rehabilitator tells you to contain a small animal, use a ventilated cardboard box with a towel, keep it dark and quiet, and minimize handling.
Usually call now
Bird hit by a window and still cannot stand or fly after a short quiet rest. Bird caught by a cat. Visible bleeding. Drooping wing. Rabbit, squirrel or opossum lying in the open and not moving away. Baby mammal cold, crying for a long period or found next to a dead mother. Animal circling, falling over, seizuring or unable to bear weight.
Usually observe first
Fledgling bird hopping under shrubs while adults call nearby. Rabbit nest in a planting bed or beside steps. Adult coyote moving through a neighborhood at dawn or dusk without approaching people. Goose resting near water. Young squirrel that is active, alert and being watched by an adult from nearby branches.
Greater Boston produces a lot of false alarms because wildlife is highly visible in small spaces. A baby bird on a sidewalk, a rabbit nest beside a stoop or a hawk standing still in a courtyard can look urgent when it is not. The right move is to slow down, reduce disturbance and make one good call before touching the animal.
FAQ: Greater Boston wildlife help
What should I do if a bird hit my window?
Keep people and pets away first. If the bird is alive, a rehabilitator may tell you to place it in a small ventilated box and keep it in a dark, quiet place for a short period before reassessment. If the bird cannot stand, has a drooping wing, is bleeding or was caught by a cat, call right away.
Do I call emergency services for a coyote in a neighborhood?
Not for a normal passing coyote. Coyotes are now part of Greater Boston and often move through neighborhoods without causing harm. Call for help when an animal is injured, trapped, cannot move normally, behaves abnormally around people, or creates an immediate public safety problem.
What if the animal is in a park, schoolyard, street or transit area?
In Boston, start with Boston Animal Care and Control if the problem involves public property, traffic, crowd control or a city response. In other municipalities, contact local animal control or the city service line for that community, then use the wildlife numbers above for rehabilitation guidance.
Should I move a baby rabbit, squirrel or bird off the sidewalk?
Only if it is in immediate danger and only the shortest distance needed to get it out of harm’s way. A fledgling can often be moved a few feet into nearby cover. A rabbit nest should usually be left exactly where it is. If you are unsure, call before touching the animal.
Are wildlife rescue services in Greater Boston usually free?
Phone advice is often free. Rehabilitation organizations are commonly nonprofit or volunteer-supported, and many accept donations because urban wildlife rescue is labor-intensive and seasonal demand is high.