To Rehabilitate

1.  Morality

a.  The value of all life is degenerated by ignoring the needs of fellow humans or animals.

b.  Man created the disaster and has a responsibility to mitigate its effects.

2.  Psychological issues

a.  People in the affected area are negatively impacted by seeing animals in distress.

b.  Preventing rescue attempts would increase feelings of helplessness and potentially lead to outbursts from frustration.

3.  Practical issues

a.  If structured rehabilitation programs are not established, it would be impossible to prevent clandestine backyard rescue efforts.

b.  Policing a non-rescue policy would be impractical and potentially dangerous.

4.  Education

a.  The animals are a reference point for the population

b.  Example of infectious disease, parasites, toxins, heavy metals.

c.  A tool to learn anatomy, physiology, anesthesia, surgery.

d.  Use of techniques learned to use in a national disaster.

5.  Value of the Individual Animal

Why Not Rehabilitate

1.  What is the value to the overall population

a.  Genetic pool

b.  Endangered or threatened population

2.  Stress to the individual animal rather than letting them die on the beach.

3.  Expense and value of diverting funds from other projects.

4.  Spreading of disease from the rehabilitation facility back out to the wild and injuring the wild population.