Anyone know if you need a licence to keep a squirrel? My daughter had rescued one from a fate worse than death and was nursing it back to health. He has developed a wheezy chest so she took it to the vet and they are refusing to let her have him back. She has conntacted a sanctuary and they are will ing to take him from her as soon as she can take him over to them. At the moment she is very upset and thinks the vets may have put it down without her consent.

The vets will have to be certain that the squirrel won't be released because that's illegal. Once they've been captured they must remain confined forever. Your daughter must get the sanctuary to contact the vet and get it signed over to them.

Isn't it illegal to keep a wild animal?

If it is a Grey Squirrel they are classed as non indigenous vermin it is actually illegal to release them back into the wild, Red Squirrels being indigenous can be released back into the wild-it is illegal to kill or keep red Squirrels as they are a protected species, other than on licenced premises

Greys can be kept in captivity, without licence

Thanks for all the feedback. She has managed to get a licence curtesy of English Heritage and he will be taken to the sanctuary as soon as possible.
The vets insisted that she needed a licence even though it is a grey so don't know where they get their information from!

A retrograde step :-(

er does it count if a baby squirrel falls down your chimney into your wood burner & stays there a few days before it makes beeline for the door.  Be just my luck to get arrested for being terrified of small furry things.  DH tried to get it out with a dog crate but it wouldn't move.

Really getting fed up with things falling down my chimney now, but can't afford a man to put an anti "every bloomin thing possibly stupid enough to get on my roof" cowl on :-(

Katharine is sending this one to a sanctuary where it will remain for the  rest of it's life. Must admit I don't see the reasoning behind not allowing them to be put to sleep anymore. I thought they were speading a virus to the red squirrels. Goverments gone mad again.

Maddog
Is there anyway you could cover the chimney with scrunched up chicken wire?

>Must admit I don't see the reasoning behind not allowing them to be put to sleep anymore.

I don't think it's that putting them to sleep isn't allowed any more, just that it's no longer compulsory. Because I don't want our native red squirrels to become extinct in this country, and they can't live together, I think that's a shame.

BTH if you don't actually capture the squirrel you don't actually release it.

Historically there have never been red squirrels here wrong type of trees in the woods & forests apparently, so the greys haven't replaced the reds here

Reds are beautiful creatures, such a shame the greys ran them out of town :(
We see a red squirrel here when I was very young, my dad said he see loads when he was little, shows that in just 30 years or so they have declined so rapidly.
I dont believe in killing animals that have done nothing wrong other then live normal lives and do what they do (IE Culling to keep numbers down) but I do believe everything has its place to live etc, wasnt it the americans that introduced the grey squirrel?

i live in an area thats a red squirrel strong hold, compared to other places there are tons of them and there are loads of conservation efforts around here

'mon the reddies!

Thats well lucky you live where you do, I envy you as I absolutly love the reddies!! Those ear tips are to die for!! :0

they are lovely. you get quite a few in tentsmuir forest and i've seen loads in camperdown park for anyone that knows tayside and fife :)

Janet, got to get up there in the first place.  DH is great at DIY but has a fear of heights :-(

You could always ask Bill [aka Trekmoor] to do it, he's always up for a challenge!!!