WRI exists to promote wildlife rehabilitation, improve wildlife welfare, and conservation in Ireland.
The purpose of Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation documents is to provide information on the care and welfare of sick,
injured or orphaned wildlife. It is a benchmark for standards of rehabilitation of wildlife in all stages of the rehabilitation process.
The documents, created by rehabilitators for rehabilitators, set out standards for; procedures, hygiene and housing, rehabilitation and release of wildlife under rehabilitation. They represent the most current knowledge, expertise and techniques in wildlife rehabilitation.
All rehabilitators are encouraged to explore and understand the principles underlying these standards, and to apply them in the everyday care of wild animals and birds in order to maximise the return of native animals to the wild.
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Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland provides a range of template rehabilitation forms to support consistent, accurate and professional record-keeping in wildlife care. These templates help rehabilitators document assessments, treatments, progress notes and daily observations in a clear, standardised format.
Using structured forms improves communication between carers, supports continuity of care, and ensures that essential information is available at every stage of the rehabilitation process. Templates can be downloaded, adapted to your facility and integrated into your existing workflow to support best-practice wildlife rehabilitation.
Below are a few Template Forms for you to use if you wish
Click Admission_Form
Click Hospitalisation Sheet
Click SOAP Sheet
Click Here for SOAPing Explanation
Click Summary Form
A Wildlife Act licence is required if you are in possession of any protected wild bird or wild mammal in Ireland.
This legal requirement also applies when an animal is injured, sick, disabled, or orphaned. The licensing system ensures that wildlife is protected and that any temporary intervention is carried out safely and responsibly.
What you will need is a:
Section 22 (9) (h) Licence to Retain an Injured or Disabled Protected Wild Bird
Section 23 (6) (c) Licence to Possess an Injured or Disabled Protected Wild Animal
Under the Wildlife Acts 1976–2023, individuals may apply to the Minister (via the NPWS) for a licence that permits the short-term possession of an injured or disabled protected animal — or dependent young that have become orphaned — for the purpose of stabilising, rehabilitating, and later releasing the animal back to the wild. These licences ensure that protected species receive appropriate care, are not kept longer than necessary, and are released in a manner that supports their long-term welfare and survival.
Legislation:
Wildlife Acts 1976–2023 (as amended) – available at:
https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1976/act/39/enacted/en/html
Currently all bird species, 23 other animal species or groups of species and 157 species of flora are afforded protected status under the Wildlife Acts.
The animal species/species groups protected under the Act are:
The list of flora species protected under the Act are set out in the Flora (Protection) Order 2022.
The Act also enables the possession, trade and movement of wildlife to be regulated and controlled.
Application Forms
Click Here to go to the licensing section of the NPWS website, or
Below find the relevant application forms for the possession or retention of individual birds or animals and the application form for a 12 month licence to possess multiple birds or animals for experienced rehabilitators across the country that rehabilitate multiple birds or animals on an ongoing basis.
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