Rehabilitating injured native wildlife in St. Louis requires Missouri Department of Conservation permits; city Title VI bars holding native species as pets and Animal Care and Control routes calls to licensed rehabbers.
Under MO Wildlife Code (3 CSR 10) only state-permitted rehabilitators may legally hold injured or orphaned native wildlife such as raccoons, opossums, songbirds, raptors, and turtles for treatment. Federal permits from US Fish and Wildlife are also required for migratory birds and threatened or endangered species. St. Louis Title VI prohibits keeping native wildlife as pets. Animal Care and Control responds to wildlife calls by referring callers to licensed rehab partners like World Bird Sanctuary and Wildlife Rescue Center. Untrained rescue attempts are discouraged because of zoonotic disease risks including rabies.
Holding native wildlife without permits violates MO §252.040 and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; possession of rabies-vector species (skunk, raccoon, bat, fox) triggers mandatory euthanasia and human exposure protocols.
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis prohibits feeding of feral cats, deer, raccoons, and other wildlife on public property and in ways that create nuisance or rodent attractants under...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis prohibits ownership of dangerous wild animals under SLRC 10.16 and RSMo 578.023. Banned species include large cats, bears, primates, venomous snake...
See how St. Louis's wildlife rescue permits rules stack up against other locations.
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