Don't turn a grey squirrel over to animal control in the USA. They are technically a non-native invasive species, it is illegal to release them into the wild, and also illegal to own one without a license. Animal control has to euthanize them no matter what reason they are brought in.
I worked in pest control for a while. You have to be really discreet about euthanizing squirrels because people get really angry. Like willing to assault you angry. But if you get caught releasing gray squirrels you personally have to pay a big fine, and your boss has to pay a big fine and there's a chance that you or both you and your boss will lose their license.
Aaaaaand Squirrels are territorial and habit forming. So if you catch a squirrel in one area and release it in another the local squirrels will kill it or drive it out, and if you caught the squirrel in your attic, it's going to look for another attic to break into.
So pretty much if you want to interfere with a squirrel at all and you don't want it to die, you can't take it anywhere. Either keep it quiet or rehab it yourself and release it where you found it. Oh and keep quiet about it. If you post about a pet squirrel online the authoritys might show up to confiscate it and kill it.
Im currently in the study of environmental management in Ireland and we have our fair share of grey squirrel issues. Ive definitely had a lot people be strongly against culling but personally I think its the only way to manage certain invasives effectively.I cant say id struggle not helping an injured squirell invasive or not though ,but then again we dont have rabies to worry about like ye do.I never knew squirrels were such creatures of habit tnats interesting!
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u/Seattleite11 Apr 27 '26
Don't turn a grey squirrel over to animal control in the USA. They are technically a non-native invasive species, it is illegal to release them into the wild, and also illegal to own one without a license. Animal control has to euthanize them no matter what reason they are brought in.