Online Safety for WIRES volunteers

RESCUE REQUESTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

During busy periods, members of the public sometimes post requests for wildlife rescue advice on social media and online forums. For everyone’s safety — volunteers, the public, and animals — all rescue enquiries must go through the WIRES Rescue Office (WRO).

If you spot a rescue request online:

Do not give detailed advice or agree to attend.
Direct them to WIRES Rescue Line (1300 094 737) or WIRES Online Rescue Form
If safe and appropriate, suggest taking the animal immediately to their nearest vet.
As a WIRES volunteer, you can contact the WRO 24/7 at (02) 8977 3309 for support or to report any issues regarding active rescues.

Why this matters:

Giving advice off the system can lead to unlicensed individuals keeping wildlife.
Untrained care can harm the animal and reduce its chance of release.
Some pages are monitored by illegal wildlife traders posing as carers.
Volunteers attending rescues “off the system” risk their own safety, as there is no record of the call or rescue.
Personal contact details should never be shared with unknown individuals.

Record Keeping

Routing all rescue requests through the WRO is essential for both safety and transparency. For WIRES, it means every case is officially logged, linked to insurance, and contributes to accurate data for planning and reporting. For NPWS, it provides confidence that rescues are handled within licence conditions, supports monitoring of wildlife health, and helps identify emerging risks. Keeping everything in the system protects animals, carers, and the wider rescue community.

Your commitment and dedication to your own safety and that of wildlife is much appreciated.

Social Media Policies

The following policies can also be found on the Members Website > INFO > Policies, Procedures, Guidelines and Handbooks.

Please contact the Membership Team at members@wires.org.au if you have any questions about the content on this page.