Savage Hart

01/12/2025

Even the most well-intentioned rescue can turn dangerous. Wildlife can carry serious zoonotic diseases like rabies, which is >99% fatal once symptoms begin. Protect yourself and your family by contacting a licensed rehabilitator before attempting to intervene with a wild animal.

21/11/2025

Bobcat in Training: Feral Teenager Needs Lunch Money

Our young bobcat patient has officially entered the final stage of rehabilitation—and he’s got the space (and attitude) to prove it.

He’s now living in a large outdoor pre-release enclosure with everything he needs to prepare for life on his own: room to run, climb, hunt, and hide—just like he would in the wild. But what makes this setup even better is the secure transfer system our team built, connecting this enclosure to a second one. He now has access to two separate habitats, giving him the freedom to explore a wider environment while still allowing our staff to safely monitor and provide care if needed. This expanded space lets him stretch both his body and his instincts—and as you’ll see in the video, he’s making good use of both.

As a strict carnivore, he relies on a whole-prey diet, including rodents, to develop the strength and survival skills he’ll need to thrive on his own. These meals aren’t just nutrition; they’re enrichment. From stalking and pouncing to tearing and caching, every interaction mimics a behavior he’ll need in the wild. And since he’s still growing, his appetite is no joke. He receives whole prey daily, helping him build lean muscle, sharpen coordination, and gain the confidence he’ll need to fend for himself. To mirror that in care, our staff hides his food throughout the enclosure, encouraging him to forage and “hunt” just as he would post-release. It’s more than mealtime—it’s full-contact training for the real world.

Want to help feed him? You can add funds directly to our RodentPro account—basically, his wildcat lunch account. Your donation goes straight toward feeding this future predator until spring release.

➡️ https://rodentpro.com/Charities/DonateToCharity/savage-hart-wildlife

Thanks for helping us give this bobcat the best shot at a wild future.

18/11/2025

Patient Update

This red-shouldered hawk’s journey began back in October with a pectoral girdle fracture—an injury that can significantly compromise survival. Through restricted activity, medications, and focused physical therapy, healing progressed exactly as needed. Radiographs confirmed the fracture was mending appropriately, and flight testing demonstrated strong, coordinated movement.

She also made sure we never forgot she was a wild raptor. Her defensive behavior kept our rehabbers on their toes, and her constant movement in the kennel made her presence known throughout her stay. And yes—she may or may not have seized a well-timed opportunity to bypass her handlers and cruise down the hallway, giving us a spirited reminder that her strength, awareness, and flight response were right on track.

This marks our first successful release under our new USFWS raptor rehabilitation permit, and we look forward to helping many more birds of prey return to their rightful place in the wild.
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If you’d like to learn more about our mission and support injured wildlife on their path to recovery, visit https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/

12/11/2025

What a day!

Our 2nd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser was such a success — and it’s all thanks to YOU! We had an incredible turnout, and our community truly came through with their generosity. Rooms were sponsored, supplies were donated, and our Giving Tree is blooming with leaves and animals!

A special thank-you to Cpl. Eric Isom and K-9 Bo from the Georgia DNR for their amazing educational demonstration — it was a highlight of the day!

You can still be part of this event! Make a donation to our Giving Tree, and we’ll add your name or a special message to our wall. It’s a daily reminder of the compassion and encouragement that keep our team going. We also still have a few room sponsorships available for those who’d like to make a greater impact on local wildlife rehabilitation.

Visit our event webpage to learn more. https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/openhouse/

07/11/2025

This opossum wants to know… are you joining us TOMORROW for our 2nd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser? No wildlife will be present (our patients need their rest!), but we’ve got plenty of fun waiting for the whole family. Take a rare, behind-the-scenes tour of our wildlife clinic, meet the team who makes it all happen, and enjoy an exciting K-9 demonstration by a Georgia DNR Game Warden!

While you’re here, help our Giving Tree grow by leaving your name on a leaf with a donation — every gift helps us continue caring for Georgia’s injured and orphaned wildlife. We also still have a few room sponsorships available for those who want to make an even greater impact.

Can’t make it to the event? You can still be part of it by visiting our event webpage to make a contribution and support local wildlife rehabilitation.
https://savagehartwildlife.org/openhouse/

05/11/2025

Our clinic doors may close at 5 p.m., but the work never stops.

We recently accepted an adult gray fox that had been found bedded down in a resident’s backyard. After making several calls to different agencies, the finders made the long drive of more than two hours to bring him to our clinic for evaluation.

We treated him to reduce pain and suffering and monitored him overnight with cameras to ensure he remained comfortable and stable. When neurological symptoms continued, our collaborating veterinarian, Dr. Carey, met us at the clinic after 9 p.m. on a Sunday evening to provide further treatment.

Wildlife rehabilitation often means long hours, difficult decisions, and care that extends far beyond the regular workday. It also means compassion from members of the public who go to great lengths to help, from dedicated professionals like Dr. Carey who give their time after hours, and from all of us who answer the call when the wild needs us most.

Thank you for helping us be there for Georgia’s native wildlife, day and night.
We’re deeply grateful for everyone who plays a part in helping Georgia’s native wildlife.
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Want to help perpetuate our mission? Visit https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/how-to-help/

03/11/2025

Rehab gym day for this southern flying squirrel! 💪🐿️

Enrichment like this wheel helps build strength, balance, and coordination — all vital for a successful release. We currently have two juveniles in care, one recovering from pneumonia. Once fully healed, they’ll be introduced and spend the winter here before returning to the wild in spring.

29/10/2025

Another Gopher Tortoise in Care

On a dusty road within Fort Benning, an adult gopher tortoise was found overturned with a fractured shell from an apparent vehicle strike. Luckily, a member of the Fort Benning Natural Resources team recognized the urgency and acted quickly by contacting us and transporting the tortoise to our clinic for treatment.

After the initial exam and triage, it was determined that the tortoise required veterinary intervention. A tortoise’s shell is living bone, and fractures like these are painful. To ensure a pain-free procedure, our collaborating veterinarian anesthetized the tortoise while we spent several hours carefully realigning and securing the broken carapace. The fractures will take months to heal, but timely intervention gives this keystone species a real chance at recovery.

Each gopher tortoise burrow shelters hundreds of other animals, from frogs and lizards to small mammals, making every individual critical to the health of Georgia’s longleaf pine ecosystem.

With continued care and monitoring, we hope to return this tortoise to its burrow, where it belongs.
Your support makes rescues like this possible.

27/10/2025

We’re just weeks away from our 2nd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser!

This free, family-friendly event offers a rare opportunity to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our wildlife rehabilitation clinic, which is normally closed to the public due to state regulations. Don’t miss this one-time chance to see where injured and orphaned wild animals receive expert care before returning to the wild.

We’ve been operating in our new clinic for just over a year, and your support has already helped us accomplish so much. Come take a tour, enjoy GA DNR Game Warden K-9 demonstrations, meet our dedicated team, and learn how your contributions help us continue saving Georgia’s native wildlife.

Want to go the extra mile? Support our mission by bringing a monetary donation, sponsoring a room, or donating in-kind goods! We’re always in need of paper towels, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, bleach, Dawn® dish soap, cotton balls, and unflavored Pedialyte.

Mark your calendar for November 8th, and join us for a wild, good time!

Join us for our annual Open House and Fundraiser — Your chance to step behind the scenes and see how your support helps Georgia’s wildlife heal and return home.