Contact the GWN
Found an injured, orphaned or unwell wild animal in Greenwich or Bexley?
The best way to contact the Greenwich Wildlife Network is by posting on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenwichwildlifenetwork/?locale=en_GB
Please make a new post on the group with a brief description of the situation (the species of animal and why you think the animal needs help), and your location, or the EXACT location of the animal. A photo is also helpful.
One of our experienced Rescue Coordinators will then approve your post so that it is published in the group, and resopond to you through comments and a private messages. They will work with you to assess the situation and formulate the best plan to provide help to the animal. We will not ask you to reveal any private contact details on our public Facebook page.
Our typical opening hours are 9 AM to 12 AM.
We also have a contact number - 07729 467910, however, due to a lack of volunteer availability, we are not able to monitor this number as regularly as our Facebook group. The group is the fastest way to communicate with us.
You can also email us at Greenwichwildlifenetwork@gmail.com or complete the contact form below.
You can also find a list of alternative rescue organisations covering the Greenwich and Bexley area contact here; https://www.greenwichwildlifenetwork.org/wildlife-greenwich-se-london-bexley
Contact
What to Expect When You Contact Us
How long will I have to wait for a response?
Waiting times vary - they completely depend on how many volunteer Rescue Coordinators we have available, and how busy we are. The spring and summer are extremely busy months so waiting times may be longer during this period.
For non-urgent enquiries (looking for general advice or information), there may be a delay in approving your post as our team must prioritise the most time-sensitive posts, involving animals at immediate risk.
Why Facebook?
We appreciate that not everyone uses Facebook. However, since our team consists of volunteers, we must fit rescue work around our paid jobs, families, and other commitments, and Facebook has proven the most flexible way for us to do this - and respond to the public for twelve hours a day, every day.
Please be kind
Please be patient and understanding in awaiting a response from our team. We are unpaid volunteers trying our best to offer a free service 365 days per year, for twelve hours per day, whilst also juggling jobs, families and busy lives. We are one of very few wildlife rescue organisations operating in London, and in the busy season we often receive an overwhelming number of requests for our help, whilst funds, space, and volunteers are often limited. Please don’t be abusive to our volunteers - we do our very best to help in the face of a huge workload.
What can I do while I wait for a response?
If it is safe and practical to do so, place the animal in an animal carrier or secure box of some kind, with air holes, whilst you wait for a response from our team. You may want to use gloves or a towel to handle the animal. If it isn’t safe to handle the animal, then if possible, please stay with the animal whilst you wait for a reply from our team.
If the animal is still a baby and has its eyes closed or is not fully feathered or furred, then it will get cold very quickly - a source of heat such as a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel will help keep the baby alive.
We do not recommend trying to feed an injured, unwell, or orphaned animal. Do not under any circumstances squirt liquid in the animal’s mouth or beak. Keep wild animals separate from domestic pets. There are more ‘Do’s and Don't's here.
If you’re no longer with the animal
If you have not been able to stay with the animal that you are seeking help for, then in order for our volunteer to find the animal we need very specific details about its location, as much information as possible. If you only provide vague information we are far less likely to be able to locate the animal and provide it with help, or locating it may take our volunteers much longer - meaning the animal will wait longer for help.
Can you collect animals?
We can collect most animals in the Greenwich and Bexley area, providing a transport volunteer is available at the time. However, it is a great help to us if you can drop the animal off, as it is often a struggle for us to find enough volunteers to collect every animal.
Do you only help wild animals?
We are primarily a wildlife rescue charity so most of our resources and facilities are geared towards providing help for wild animals. We do however, help a small number of domestic/pet animals per year, particularly lost or abandoned small animals and birds. If you get in touch with us about a domestic animal, we will try our best to help or advise you, but can’t promise we will be able to accept the animal into the charity’s care on every occasion. Not because we don’t care - we care about all animals at the GWN - simply due to lack of funds, space and time.
What areas do you cover?
We cover the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley.
For other parts of South East London, Kent and East London, we will do our best to help but due to a lack of volunteers in these areas, cannot guarantee that we will be able to assist in every case outside of our catchment area. You can find a list of alternative rescue organisations to contact here; https://www.greenwichwildlifenetwork.org/wildlife-greenwich-se-london-bexley
You can also visit HelpWildlife.co.uk to find wildlife rescue organisations in your area.
What do I do if I find an animal outside your opening hours?
If you find an animal outside of our opening hours, then your options are to keep that animal safe until morning (we appreciate this may not be possible for larger species such as foxes), or get the animal to the nearest 24-hour vet (again we appreciate this might not always be possible).
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