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Home : Permit Types/Information : Rescue Permits

Rescue Permits

Rescue Permit - Protected Animal

A sick, injured or orphaned native animal may be rescued from its natural habitat so that care and treatment can be provided. A person rescuing a protected native mammal, bird or reptile requires a rescue permit issued by us. A Rescue Permit is not required in the following circumstances:

• where the animal is an introduced species, (that is, not native to Australia);
• where the animal is classed as an unprotected native species;
• where the animal is to be returned to the wild in the short term.

The welfare of the rescued animal is of prime importance, and suffering must be minimised. People without the necessary skills or experience to care for the animal are urged to seek advice or give the animal to an experienced carer.

To determine whether a permit is required please contact the:

Fauna Permit Unit
Department for Environment and Heritage
Phone: (61 8) 8124 4972 or our nearest regional office.

How to obtain a Rescue Permit

Little Pygmy-possum Cercartetus lepidus Photo: P Bird

A person intending to care for a rescued animal should apply for a Rescue Permit (50Kb PDF) if the animal is unlikely to be released. Application forms can be downloaded from the "Application forms" page or collected from your local National parks and Wildlife office. Applicants for a Rescue Permit must reside in South Australia. If an individual keeps more than one rescued native animal or keeps an animal of a specialist species they must obtain a permit under section 58 of the Nation Parks and Wildlife Act in addition to a rescue permit. Two options are available:

• A permit to Keep Basic Rescued Animals (50Kb PDF) that entitles the holder to keep any animals listed on schedule 6 of the National Parks and Wildlife (wildlife) regulations, which have been taken under a section 53(1)(d) rescue permit. Those people wishing to keep specialist animals (50Kb PDF) will be required to be endorsed for those species. Applicants will be assessed to ensure they have the necessary skills, experience and enclosures to keep the specialist animals. There will be no fee applying to KRA permits. Persons keeping an animal under a KRA will not be able to sell or otherwise dispose of the animal. The KRA will not apply to the progeny of rescued animals.
• A basic (50Kb PDF) or specialist (50Kb PDF) Keep and Sell permit will be required If, a person keeps any other animal i.e. a non-rescued animal, or if an animal held under a KRA subsequently breed and produce progeny. The permit holder will be required to obtain a Keep and Sell Permit (50Kb PDF)  and pay an annual permit fee.

A person must not sell, give, exchange or otherwise dispose of a rescued animal. However, a transfer may be allowed in special circumstances. The permit holder is required to seek approval in writing. The progeny of rescued animals may be sold as long as the carer has the appropriate Keep and Sell permit.

Rescue Permits (50Kb PDF) may be issued to an individual but not to a rescue group or organisation. If you do not know what permit is required then contact our Fauna permit Unit. A Departmental officer will assess each individual application for a Rescue Permit. Whether or not a Rescue Permit is issued will depend upon the circumstances; for instance, the condition of the animal, the type of animal, and availability of care facilities. Applicants will be advised in writing if their application is refused. A Rescue Permit may be subject to special conditions (for example, it might be a requirement of the permit that the holder obtain a Keep and Sell Permit).

Where long-term care is required, applicants must demonstrate that they have the appropriate facilities and experience to care for the rescued animal. Applicants without the relevant experience must have access to an experienced carer who can supply the necessary guidance and supervision. A person must not sell, give, exchange or otherwise dispose of a rescued animal, however a transfer may be allowed in some circumstances. The permit holder is required to seek approval in writing for the transfer of a rescued animal to another person. The progeny of rescued animals may be sold as long as the carer has the appropriate permit to keep and sell native animals. 

Animal Rescue Groups

There are a number of volunteer animal rescue groups and individuals within South Australia who care for rescued animals. (See contact numbers below).

Native Animal Network Inc.
PO Box 380
Balhannah SA 5242
Australia
Phone: (61 8) 8388 6944, (61 8) 8398 3117 or (61 8) 8388 4556

Marsupial Society of Australia Inc.
PO Box 390
Willaston SA 5118
Australia
Email: us@marsupialsociety.org

Bird Care and Conservation Society Inc.
C/- The Conservation Centre
120 Wakefield Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia
Phone: (61 8) 8264 6696, (61 8) 8390 3254 or (61 8) 8279 4416.

Fauna Rescue of SA Inc.
PO Box 241
Modbury North SA 5092
Australia
Phone (61 8) 8289 2920, (61 8) 8289 3775 or (61 8) 8326 3797.

FaunaCare and Release Inc.
38 Allchurch Avenue
Redwood Park SA 5097
Australia
Phone: (61 8) 8396 3669, (61 8) 8244 3208 or (61 8) 8263 0563.

South East Native Animal Rescue Network.
Phone: (61 8) 8726 8199, (61 8) 8735 1177 or (61 8) 8736 3228.

Kangaroo and Wildlife Rescue and Information Service.
PO Box 1135
Aldinga Beach SA 5173
Australia
Phone: (61 8) 8556 5464, (61 8) 8289 3775 or (61 8) 8388 0360.

Wildlife Welfare Organisation (SA) Inc.
PO Box 197
Goolwa SA 5214
Australia
Phone: (61 8) 8555 3273, (61 8) 8540 2156 or (61 8) 8562 1675.

These groups arrange for the early assessment of rescued animals and provide appropriate care. Anyone interested in caring for rescued native animals is encouraged to join one of the animal rescue groups in South Australia. We also encourage animal rescue groups to provide its members with appropriate training and educational material.

Release of Rescued Animals

Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae Photo: R.Jenkins

Ideally, a rescued animal should be returned to the wild within 24 hours of being taken into captivity. After a few weeks it is likely that most rescued animal will have adapted to human contact and so may no longer be capable of fending for themselves if released. The release of long-term captive animals is rarely justified on conservation or animal welfare grounds. There is little conservation value in releasing a common animal back in to the wild, particularly if it is behaviourally, physically or otherwise impaired. The rehabilitation and release of a rescued animal must be carefully planned and take into account environmental factors as well as the suitability of the animal for release. The survival of the animal is dependent on physical health, behaviour and the ability to adapt to the wild. An animal unlikely to survive is not to be released. This applies particularly to hand-reared imprinted marsupials and some birds. When receiving an animal, a carer must assess whether or not it is likely to be suitable for release. This then allows for an appropriate form of treatment; for instance, an animal considered suitable for release should be fed on food that is locally available. Similarly prompt assessment might enable kangaroos unsuitable for release to be de-sexed, and permanent captive birds to be humanised. Written permission from us is required to release a rescued animal unless the rescue permit for the animal includes a special condition allowing its release.

As a general rule, a rehabilitated animal should be released within 1 km of its rescue site. To protect the genetic integrity of native animal populations, a rescued animal must not be released if its origin is not known. The progeny of rescued animals must not be released. Such animals would usually have adapted to human contact and would be unlikely to survive. The permission of the landholder is required to release an animal on private land. Similarly, permission is also required to release an animal on Crown Land. The release of animals onto reserves is generally not permitted. There are many other factors to be considered before releasing a rescued animal that has been in captivity for some time. If a release is being considered please contact the Fauna Permit Unit for advice and if required, to obtain permission.

Remember 'If in doubt, do not release'.