What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm

Savage Hart

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of native Georgia wildlife. This page is not constantly monitored for messages, tags, or comments.

We provide specialized care for injured and orphaned wild animals while educating our community about responsible wildlife stewardship. For wildlife emergencies, please call or text our hotline at (888) 444-1810.

11/06/2026

This young hawk has no interest in our help, but right now, every meal depends on it.

Alert, reactive, and very much wild, this juvenile red-tailed hawk makes daily care a challenge. A severe head tilt interferes with balance, often prompting those large wings to flap in an effort to stay upright. Each treatment requires carefully supporting a sizable bird that cannot understand why being handled is necessary.

The arrival photo shows just how depleted this hawk was upon arrival. A Good Samaritan saw the bird fly into a power line and drop straight to the ground, then quickly secured the stunned hawk in a box and brought it to Savage Hart. We immediately provided oxygen therapy, fluid therapy, and medications. That quick response allowed us to begin care when it mattered most.

For several days, our patient couldn’t stand. Now, standing is possible, and we’ve caught another encouraging milestone on camera: preening—caring for those feathers again. These everyday behaviors mean a great deal when we remember where this bird started.

The abnormal twisting of the head and neck is called torticollis, commonly known as “wry neck,” which can develop following trauma. Eating independently is still not possible. Daily care includes tube feeding, medications, and carefully guided physical therapy to help maintain neck movement and address muscle tightness. Between treatments, a camera lets us monitor movement and behavior without repeatedly disturbing this very reactive patient.

Recovery may take months, but there is reason for hope. Published research has documented recovery and release in raptors receiving physical therapy for trauma-related torticollis. We’re encouraged by the progress so far as we continue assessing this hawk’s recovery.
-
Will you help provide the next weeks of care? A bird this size needs substantial daily nutrition, and right now, every meal comes through a feeding tube. The food is expensive, and weeks or months of feedings add up alongside medications and medical supplies.

Your donation helps provide the food, treatment, and continued care that make this progress possible—with the goal of returning a healthy, capable hawk to the wild.

11/02/2026

It's taken us a little while to recover from our 3rd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser... and we're still smiling about the turnout! 😀

What a day! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, meet new ones, and share a behind-the-scenes look at the work happening here at Savage Hart. We spend most of our days caring for wildlife behind closed doors, so getting to open those doors and share our work with the community is something we really look forward to.

To everyone who came out, participated in the activities, toured the hospital, or stopped to learn a little more about wildlife rehabilitation—thank you! And to those who couldn't attend but supported us with an online donation, please know you were very much a part of the day's success, too.

We're grateful to the volunteers, event sponsors, conservation partners, and annual facility sponsors who helped make the day possible and continue supporting our work throughout the year. It takes a lot to keep a wildlife hospital running, and days like this remind us just how many people are willing to lend a hand.

From our small team to all of you, thank you for showing up for wildlife! 💚
-
Event Sponsors:
Callaway Blue • Columbus Boarding and Training • Weems Road Animal Hospital • Tiger Lilies • Chattabrewchee

Conservation Partners & Participants:
Oxbow Meadows • Georgia DNR Law Enforcement • Chattahoochee Riverkeeper • Ashley Desensi & Veronica Anderson

Annual Facility Sponsors:
Burnt Hickory Foundation • Chris Largent • Go Pro Wildlife Removal • Hughston Homes • Mark and Alicia Weitzel • The Vanderhorst Family • Webbcon Wildlife Removal • Anonymous Sponsor

10/29/2026

Someone's getting into the spirit of the season! 🦉

Remember the young barn owl rescued after becoming entangled in carpet inside an old deer stand? We're happy to report that her injured leg is healing well, and she's making great progress! Her personality, however, is another story. She's still super spicy and has quite the impressive set of lungs!

Picture this: the clinic is quiet, we're peacefully feeding baby squirrels, and suddenly an ear-piercing scream comes from the other room. Even when we know she's there, she still manages to scare the daylights out of us!

Unlike the familiar hooting sounds associated with many other owls, barn owls are known for their eerie, raspy screams. It's a perfectly fitting soundtrack for this time of year, although our team might disagree!

We haven't managed to catch one of her surprise performances on camera, but our nighttime camera did capture this rather unsettling close-up!

We're looking forward to returning her to the wild once she's fully recovered. Until then, she's keeping everyone at Savage Hart on their toes!

10/23/2026

Psst... got plans Saturday?

We've got a pretty wild Saturday planned for our 3rd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser, and there's plenty happening beyond the doors of our wildlife hospital!

Watch a Georgia DNR K9 demonstration, take on the Wildlife Trail Challenge along the Man O' War Trail, and enjoy face painting, crafts, and games for the kids. We'll also have food available and opportunities to take home bird boxes, bat boxes, and gift baskets!

Of course, the highlight is a rare chance to step inside our wildlife hospital, meet the Savage Hart team, and see where injured and orphaned wildlife receive care before returning to the wild.

We'll also be joined by some of our friends in conservation, including Oxbow Meadows, Georgia DNR Law Enforcement, and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, along with a local vendor selling native plants.

Our hospital is normally closed to the public, so this is your one chance to see what happens behind the scenes!

Admission is FREE, and we'd love to see you tomorrow! 💚

For event details, visit https://savagehartwildlife.org/openhouse/

10/22/2026

Our Reptile Room is one of the busiest rooms in the clinic right now!

We've got quite the assortment of patients recovering from dog attacks, vehicle strikes, and lawnmower injuries. We even have a box turtle that arrived with a botfly larval infestation! And for those following along with our original gopher tortoise patient, we're happy to report that things are going well.

As the temperatures begin to drop, wild turtles are preparing for a seasonal slowdown known as brumation. Unlike mammals that hibernate, reptiles rely on external temperatures to regulate their body temperature. As the weather cools, their metabolism slows, their activity decreases, and they eat considerably less.

But for turtles recovering from injuries, slowing down isn't necessarily what we want!
Inside our wildlife hospital, we maintain appropriate temperatures and lighting to keep our patients active, eating, and metabolizing nutrients needed for healing. While their wild counterparts are preparing for winter, our patients are getting a little extra time in the warm weather—at least indoors! There's plenty of healing happening in the Reptile Room, and winter can wait!

A special thank-you to Mark and Alicia Weitzel, our annual Reptile Room sponsors, for helping support the care happening behind these doors.
-
Want to learn more about how you can support our mission? Visit www.savagehartwildlife.org/how-to-help/

10/19/2026

Yep, that's Tiffani dressed like a bush. And yep, there's a baby owl involved. 🦉

There's a reason we go to these lengths when caring for certain wildlife patients, and it's just one of the many interesting things that happen behind the doors of our wildlife hospital.

Speaking of those doors... we're opening them this Saturday!

Our 3rd Annual Wild Open House & Fundraiser is October 24, and it's the one day each year we invite the public inside for a behind-the-scenes look at wildlife rehabilitation. Come see where our patients receive care, meet the people who care for them, and learn a few things about wildlife you probably didn't know!

We'll also have local wildlife conservation organizations, activities for the whole family, and plenty more happening throughout the morning.

For more event details, visit https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/openhouse/

We hope to see you Saturday! 💚

10/16/2026

Remember our gopher tortoise from Box Springs who was struck by a vehicle?

After six weeks of treatment, wound care, and physical therapy, he's finally back home! He was released back to the property he's called home for more than 20 years, and within moments, he was munching on the surrounding vegetation.

Apparently, the grass really is greener at home! 💚

10/14/2026

Wishlist Wednesday! 🦊

This week's wishlist looks a little different! Instead of supplies, we're highlighting an opportunity to support the spaces where wildlife rehabilitation happens. And sometimes, the impact of that support looks a lot like this!

These young foxes are putting one of our outdoor pre-release enclosures to good use! After weeks of specialized care, spaces like these give our patients room to exercise, build strength, practice natural behaviors, and prepare for their return to the wild.

Through our annual Facility Naming Sponsorships, individuals, families, and businesses can sponsor a room inside our wildlife hospital or one of our outdoor pre-release enclosures. These sponsorships help cover the ongoing maintenance and supplies needed to keep our facilities ready for the next patient in need.

Half of our 12 naming opportunities have already been claimed, with just 6 remaining! Whether you'd like to recognize your business, honor someone special, or simply support Georgia's native wildlife, we'd love for you to be part of it.

We also offer Animal Sponsorships for those who would like to support the care of wildlife patients through a monthly commitment.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Visit our website to explore available opportunities and secure your sponsorship directly online!

https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/openhouse

10/13/2026

Want to see something cool? 🐢

These two photos were taken exactly one month apart, and the healing progress is pretty remarkable!

This juvenile box turtle arrived at Savage Hart after being chewed by a dog, leaving a significant portion of its shell damaged. Because the trauma occurred along the spine, our little patient was also unable to use either hind leg when admitted. With time, supportive care, and physical therapy, we're seeing encouraging improvements in strength and movement in both legs, and we're optimistic about a full recovery.

What you're seeing in these photos is the incredible ability of a turtle's shell to heal. A turtle's shell isn't just a protective covering. It's a living part of its skeleton, made up of bone fused to the ribs and vertebrae and covered by plates of keratin called scutes. Beneath those scutes are living tissues with blood vessels and nerves, which means shell injuries can be painful and require specialized medical care.

When a turtle's shell is damaged, new tissue gradually forms over the injured area while the underlying bone slowly repairs and remodels. And take a closer look at the marbled appearance of that new tissue! Eastern box turtles naturally have intricate shell patterns that help camouflage them among the leaves and debris of the forest floor. As this turtle heals, we're beginning to see variations in color across the new tissue, although it's still too early to know what the repaired shell will eventually look like.

Although this little patient has made remarkable progress in just 30 days, there's still plenty of healing ahead. While the rest of the shell is hard, the newly formed tissue covering the injury is still soft and doesn't yet provide the protection of a healthy shell. This turtle will remain with us throughout the winter, allowing more time for the damaged area to heal, strengthen, and develop the natural protection needed before returning to the wild.

Pretty incredible what nature can do with a little help and a lot of time!
-
Want to learn more about our work and how you can support our mission? Visit https://www.savagehartwildlife.org./

10/09/2026

On Saturday, October 24, we're opening our doors and inviting you to see a little more of our world! Join us for our annual Open House & Fundraiser! This is the one day each year that the public can step inside our wildlife hospital, meet the people doing the work, and see where the magic happens!

We've also planned plenty of activities for all ages! Explore our interactive Wildlife Trail Challenge along the Man O'War Trail, watch a Georgia DNR K9 demonstration, enjoy crafts and games, and visit with local conservation vendors. Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast or just looking for a fun Saturday outing with the family, there's plenty to see and do.

Whether you've followed our patients' stories for years or are just discovering Savage Hart, we hope you'll join us for a little fun on the wild side! 🐾

*Please note: In accordance with state wildlife regulations, no wildlife will be present during the event.*

Address

P. O. Box 451
Fortson, GA
31808

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18884441810

Website

https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Savage Hart posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.