08/05/2026
Well spoken words from a fellow wildlife rehabber.
Wildlife rehabilitation is overwhelmingly volunteer-driven.
The people answering hotline texts, coordinating rescues, driving transports at midnight, cleaning cages, feeding orphaned babies every few hours, and making heartbreaking medical decisions are, in most cases, unpaid volunteers doing the best they can with limited time, space, staffing, and resources.
Every day, we answer countless questions from members of the public — often while actively caring for hundreds of animals already in rehabilitation. We do this because we care deeply about wildlife and about helping our community navigate difficult situations compassionately and responsibly.
Abusive messages, passive-aggressive comments, profanity, and personal attacks toward wildlife rehabilitators are unacceptable. Shame on you if you think this is appropriate.
If an outcome is not what you hoped for, or if a rehabilitator is unable to assist directly, that does not remove the responsibility to continue seeking help for the animal. There are wildlife centers and rehabilitators across Virginia, including facilities open seven days a week, and in many cases animals can and should be transported by the finder or members of the public willing to assist.
Wildlife rehabilitation is not an emergency response system staffed by paid responders waiting to dispatch on every call. It is a network of people giving enormous amounts of personal time, money, labor, and emotional energy to help wildlife whenever and however they can.
If you are frustrated by gaps in wildlife response in your area, I encourage you to become part of the solution. Volunteer for rescue and transport. Support your local wildlife center. Become trained. Help build the network we all wish existed.
Better outcomes for wildlife happen when communities work together — not when volunteers are harassed for doing their best.
