As H5 bird flu spreads across Australia, a secondary crisis has taken root in the spaces between policy and compassion: injured wildlife — birds struck by cars, animals tangled in fishing line — are arriving at veterinary clinic doors and being turned away. With 236 confirmed detections in wild birds nationwide and private clinics withdrawing from wildlife treatment for legitimate biosecurity reasons, the burden falls on an already overstretched network of volunteer rehabilitators. The outbreak has exposed a structural gap in animal welfare systems, one that does not pause for outbreaks or wai
Bird flu outbreak creates animal welfare crisis as vets refuse wildlife patients
Injured wildlife including birds struck by cars, attacked by dogs, or entangled in fishing line are being denied veterinary treatment and humane euthanasia.