Anyone rehabilitating injured or orphaned wildlife in Suffolk County must hold a New York State wildlife rehabilitator license under Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0515. Possession of native wildlife without a permit is illegal.
New York requires a wildlife rehabilitator license issued by NYS DEC under Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0515 to possess, care for, and release injured or orphaned native wildlife. License classes vary by species, with separate authorizations for raptors, rabies-vector species, and migratory birds, the latter also requiring federal permits. Suffolk County residents who find injured wildlife should contact licensed rehabilitators rather than attempting care themselves. Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on Long Island and Sweetbriar Nature Center are known Suffolk-area facilities. Possession without a permit may result in confiscation and fines.
Unlicensed possession of native wildlife: NY ECL Section 71-0925 violation; fines up to two hundred fifty dollars per animal plus seizure.
Suffolk County, NY
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See how Suffolk County's wildlife rescue permits rules stack up against other locations.
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