Lost, Found, or Abused Animals
Lost or Found an animal?
Mending Spirits is not a holding facility, animal impound or shelter for lost or stray animals. As a foster based rescue, placement opportunities are an option once the animal's legal stray hold has expired and an appropriate foster home has been secured specifically for that animal. Please observe the following if you have found an animal or have concerns.
Mankato and North Mankato Residents:
BENCHS is the official impound for the City of Mankato. If you have found an animal within city limits:
For animals lost or found outside of these areas, please see the Impound Resources below or contact your local law enforcement agency for information.
Other things you can try:
Mending Spirits is not a holding facility, animal impound or shelter for lost or stray animals. As a foster based rescue, placement opportunities are an option once the animal's legal stray hold has expired and an appropriate foster home has been secured specifically for that animal. Please observe the following if you have found an animal or have concerns.
Mankato and North Mankato Residents:
BENCHS is the official impound for the City of Mankato. If you have found an animal within city limits:
- Call BENCHS at 507.625.6373 (7:30am-8:30pm) to make an appointment.
- Call Mankato Police Department at 911 (8:30pm-7:30am).
- https://www.benchs.org/impound.html
For animals lost or found outside of these areas, please see the Impound Resources below or contact your local law enforcement agency for information.
Other things you can try:
- Search your neighborhood. If your pet is injured or frightened, he may be hiding. Search under cars and porches too!
- Go door to door and talk to your neighbors
- Try in the evening, when it's quiet.
- Call or whistle.
- Drive around the neighborhood; a dog will sometimes recognize the sound of your car.
- Put out something familiar to them: a blanket, a bed and some wet food they can smell.
- Put up posters and distribute flyers with a photo and description of your pet and post on social media such as Facebook. Don't include every detail about your pet; hold back a distinctive feature or trait to help determine if any tips or calls have found your pet.
Reporting abuse or neglect?
Contact the Minnesota Federated Humane Society, which conducts humane investigations, toll-free at 877-826-4625, or call local law enforcement. If you see an animal in immediate danger, call 911.
Shelter requirements for outdoor animals.
Click to read the Minnesota Statutes.
*Wildlife*
Please contact The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center https://www.wrcmn.org
Call WRC with any questions: 651-486-9453.
First, any sick or injured wild animal can be brought to WRC during their operating hours. No need to call first, simply bring it to them. Please do not feed any animal in your possession. Body condition and temperature, the animal's age and various other things can all impact the animal's ability to actually process that food safely.
If it's not sick or injured, here are some key points to evaluate the situation:
1) If it's a naked bird or has a lot of skin showing, it should be in the nest. Put it back if you're able. If you can't find the nest keep it warm and safe and bring it to us.
2) If it's a feathered baby bird that just isn't flying yet it could be a bird going through a ground fledging stage. Robins, jays and cardinals all may do this. Cavity nesters do not (chickadees, woodpeckers, etc.). If you're not sure what the species of the bird is, call us and we'll help you determine whether the bird should stay where it is or come in for help.
3) Baby ducks running around and no mom in sight? Gather them up and bring them in. Mallards and Wood Ducks generally do not accept other ducklings (whereas geese do), so reuniting them is very problematic.
4) Baby squirrel fell out of the nest? They tend to land rather hard and the nest is generally pretty high. If you at all suspect internal injuries please bring the squirrel in for a health check. Mom should come pick it up and take it back to the nest. If she hasn't after a full day has gone by, bring it in. (don't leave them out overnight)
5) Young raccoon kits are adorable, and get into all sorts of mischief, and mom is actually pretty good at keeping them with her. She should come back for any that have wandered too far. These do need to be left out overnight for mom to find. Just leave them where they are, or if you know where the den is, leave them by the den entrance/base of the tree. If mom still doesn't come for them after a full night or two, bring them to WRC.
To safely transport any animal please make sure it's in a box or a carrier from which it cannot escape. The last thing you want is a wild animal loose in your car while you're driving. Put an old t-shirt or pillowcase in the box with the animal to help reduce stress. Remove any water dish that you may have put in the box prior to transport.
Contact the Minnesota Federated Humane Society, which conducts humane investigations, toll-free at 877-826-4625, or call local law enforcement. If you see an animal in immediate danger, call 911.
Shelter requirements for outdoor animals.
Click to read the Minnesota Statutes.
*Wildlife*
Please contact The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center https://www.wrcmn.org
Call WRC with any questions: 651-486-9453.
First, any sick or injured wild animal can be brought to WRC during their operating hours. No need to call first, simply bring it to them. Please do not feed any animal in your possession. Body condition and temperature, the animal's age and various other things can all impact the animal's ability to actually process that food safely.
If it's not sick or injured, here are some key points to evaluate the situation:
1) If it's a naked bird or has a lot of skin showing, it should be in the nest. Put it back if you're able. If you can't find the nest keep it warm and safe and bring it to us.
2) If it's a feathered baby bird that just isn't flying yet it could be a bird going through a ground fledging stage. Robins, jays and cardinals all may do this. Cavity nesters do not (chickadees, woodpeckers, etc.). If you're not sure what the species of the bird is, call us and we'll help you determine whether the bird should stay where it is or come in for help.
3) Baby ducks running around and no mom in sight? Gather them up and bring them in. Mallards and Wood Ducks generally do not accept other ducklings (whereas geese do), so reuniting them is very problematic.
4) Baby squirrel fell out of the nest? They tend to land rather hard and the nest is generally pretty high. If you at all suspect internal injuries please bring the squirrel in for a health check. Mom should come pick it up and take it back to the nest. If she hasn't after a full day has gone by, bring it in. (don't leave them out overnight)
5) Young raccoon kits are adorable, and get into all sorts of mischief, and mom is actually pretty good at keeping them with her. She should come back for any that have wandered too far. These do need to be left out overnight for mom to find. Just leave them where they are, or if you know where the den is, leave them by the den entrance/base of the tree. If mom still doesn't come for them after a full night or two, bring them to WRC.
To safely transport any animal please make sure it's in a box or a carrier from which it cannot escape. The last thing you want is a wild animal loose in your car while you're driving. Put an old t-shirt or pillowcase in the box with the animal to help reduce stress. Remove any water dish that you may have put in the box prior to transport.