What do vets do with injured wild animals?

Question

Vets annoy me, I know they do a lot of good but their profiteering and overcharging people with sick animals is bad form in my opinion.

Anyway I want to know what happens if say you were driving along a road and you found an injured rabbit with a hurt leg. So naturally you took it to the vet.

What would vets do, because surely they have a duty to care for injured animals. BUT being a wild animal it has no owner and therefore no-one could pay for the rabbits treatment. Vets are commercial in nature.

What would happen in such a situation. Do they have to treat it for free, do wildlife charities foot the bill? Surely they can't refuse it treatment because they won't get paid.

Answer 1

Most vets will treat wild animals for free, and then hand them over to a wildlife sanctury and visit the wild animals to discuss when to set them free.

Answer 2

wanna bet ?

Answer 3

they charge a lot because they have too. and why would that annoy you? they have the right to make a living to, and they have to charge more then they put into the business or they won't make any money. and since most people need money to feed their families, if vets charged nothing and didn't make any money there wouldn't be many vets would there? and  most of the time they treat them for free, or will take them from you and send them to an animal rescue center that can care for them. you need to remember that these people became vets because they love animals, and most WANT to help wounded animals. most vets would do all the things they d for free but like I said, they have lives and families they have to support. and by the way, would you rather have a inexperienced, untrained, "doing this for the animals not the money" volunteer doing surgery on your pet, or a schooled, knows what hes doing vet working on your pet?? if you want to get annoyed with someone do your research and you'll find out that vets wouldn't charge so much if it weren't for the high costs of medicine and supplies. be angry at the drug companies who inflate prices, not the vets that want to help.

Answer 4

yer they do it for free, that's why we pay so much our costs go towards wild life.

Answer 5

It really depends on the vet, they are under NO obligation to treat wildlife and may even get in trouble for treating wild animals as they are not licensed to do so.  Some vets will take in wild animals and treat them, others will not.  If the animal is very badly injured, they may euthanize them.  Some will just turn them over to a wildlife rehab or animal control to deal with.  

Answer 6

They make Game Pie out of them, Hmmm Game Pie

Answer 7

Caring for wildlife presents many challenges. Veterinarians are seldom familiar with the biology or veterinary care of most of the wild species that are presented to them for examination and treatment. This is compounded by the fact that there are often strict laws governing the protection of wildlife species which must be abided by, not to mention the numerous ethical dilemmas.

Some vets enjoy the challenges of treating wild animals, adding variety to their day and providing a feeling of altruistic satisfaction.

edit - sadly i had to get one of my precious cats put to sleep ( Sunday ). at a time like this the last thing on one's mind is the cost.