First some general advice from the Mass.gov wildlife website:
In almost all cases, it’s best to leave wildlife alone. If you determine that an animal needs intervention, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for assistance using the map below. Young animals may seem helpless, but oftentimes they are neither abandoned nor orphaned and don’t require assistance. Animals taken out of the wild by well-intentioned people are often subjected to more stress and have a decreased chance of survival and ever having a normal life. Learn what to do if you find a wild animal that might be sick or injured.
Wild animals are protected by law. It is illegal to take an animal from the wild to care for or to attempt to keep as a pet. If you think that an animal may be in need of intervention, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for assistance. Use the map of list below to find a rehabilitator near you. If using the map, click on an icon to get information about the rehabilitator.
Start out by contacting a rehabilitator to see if they can accept the animal. Next, get instructions about how to safely capture and transport the animal since rehabilitators are usually unable to pick up injured wildlife. Many rehabilitators specialize in treating certain types of animals, and not all rehabilitators may be able to accept every injured animal.
Suggestions
Wildlife Rehabilitators’ Association of Massachusetts – The Wildlife Rehabilitators’ Association of Massachusetts (WRAM) is a non-profit organization that supports, educates, and provides a community for wildlife rehabilitators, and works on their behalf with other organizations and the public to assist in their mission of improving the well-being of wildlife in New England since 1992.
Haddies Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Ipswich MA
Cape Ann Wildlife, Inc. They specialize in birds. Essex, MA
https://www.facebook.com/CapeAnnWildlifeInc/
Whalen’s Wildlife Rescue – We primarily rescue mammals and marsupials (opossums), but we do also intake reptiles and amphibians on a case-by-case basis.
New England Wildlife Center, Weymouth, MA near Braintree line.
https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandWildlifeCenters/
Salem Wildlife Rescue, Salem MA – I take Eastern Cottontail Rabbits of all ages, eyes-open baby squirrels, and adult squirrels. Other small mammals may be accepted on a case-by-case basis based on capacity limits. I cannot take birds or rabies vector species such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, fishers, and bats.
New House Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford MA. Also see their FB page Newhouse WildlifeRescue
New ARC Northeast Wildlife Animal Rehabilitation Center:
Update: Are they still open? Their old website no longer works.
We work out of our homes in Wilmington, Billerica, Chelmsford, Barre and Arlington, rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife brought to us by the general public or other animal rescue agencies (such as the Animal Rescue League of Boston or MSPCA). Injured animals are treated and orphaned animals are cared for until such a time as they are able to be released back into their natural habitat.
Cheryl Arena
Phone: 781-605-5565
Town: Malden
Species: Mammals (Cottontails, squirrels, chipmunks)
Erin Gove
Phone: 609-316-2671
Town: Peabody
Species: Mammals (Text only)
Jenna Medeiros
Phone: 978-717-3949
Town: Peabody
Species: Mammals (Squirrels only; Text only)
Maryanne Martin
Phone: 781-486-3826
Town: Wakefield
Species: Mammals (Rabbits only; Text message preferred)
Alesha Strycharz
Phone: 781-281-9560
Town: Stoneham
Species: Birds (Advice and limited triage/transfer. Texting preferred during the week)
Not authorized for migratory bird rehabilitation
Linda Amato
Phone: 617-605-2965
Town: Malden
Species: Birds
Leah Desrochers
Phone: 603-553-2307
Town: Somerville
Species: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles (Triage/transfer and advice only)
Tufts Wildlife Clinic in North Grafton is great. One must call before bringing the animal. 508-839-7918. They don’t accept healthy baby animals or those who are orphaned or abandoned.
KaiserScience 