Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Wisconsin Humane Society

07/22/2024

We’re heartbroken to share that after 8 days of intensive care and a few promising glimmers of hope, our Bald Eagle patient passed away on Saturday morning. 💔 (You can read his full story here: https://wihumane.me/BaldEagle2024) We did everything we could – and *he* gave everything he could – but in the end, the poison had done too much internal damage and he passed away quietly in his enclosure. We urge you to please keep his story in mind whenever you hear of someone considering poison as a form of pest control. We know unwanted visitors can be frustrating, but our team is well-versed in advising humane, effective solutions that won’t cause undo suffering or harm to the culprits, nor the many other species who may feed on them after they perish.
We take every loss to heart, but this one is especially painful for the team members who watched him inch closer to recovery against all odds; we knew it was a long shot, but we rooted for him at every turn. We take solace in knowing he was not left to suffer alone for days on end, but instead passed away in relative comfort, cared for by people who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting wildlife.
To the countless supporters who have been in his corner since his arrival, we can’t thank you enough. Your words of encouragement and uplifting messages mean so much to us, and the dollars donated toward this work ensure we’re able to be there for the dozens of wild animals who have already arrived since his passing. We are eternally grateful to serve such a compassionate community – thank you. ❤️‍🩹

[📷 This photo of Wildlife Rehabilitator Alyssa and the patient was taken shortly after his arrival on July 12.]

07/18/2024

On Friday, July 12, we admitted a Bald Eagle who had been found grounded, debilitated, and incredibly weak. Thankfully, someone saw him on the ground in Fox Point and knew he needed immediate help if he had any chance at survival. His eyes were closed, he was drifting in and out of consciousness, and he’d been vomiting.
Once at the WHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, we began immediate supportive care and diagnostic tests. After ruling out several other potential causes, we strongly suspect he’s experiencing secondary toxicity from rodenticide – meaning he likely ate prey that had consumed rat poison. We are seeing some small improvements each day – he’s now able to lift his head and has started to support himself – but his prognosis is still heavily guarded. He has a long way to go before he’s healthy enough to return to the skies, and we’ll do everything in our power to give him the best chance of getting there. ❤️‍🩹

We have to take a moment to point out the devastating consequences rodenticide can have far beyond its intended purpose. There are other much more humane, safe ways of evicting unwanted visitors from your property without putting others at risk, and we’d love to help you find solutions. We don’t know if it’s too late for this incredible bird, but we’re giving him everything we’ve got and are so grateful to our community which makes this work possible.

For those wondering how they can help, donations to our wildlife hospital are currently being matched this month. You can make a gift of any size using the Donate button here or online at https://wihumane.me/WildlifeSummerMatch to have it automatically doubled by a friend of WHS. Those dollars go directly toward our work treating nearly 5,000 wild animals every year and we can’t thank you enough.

We also want to give a major shout out to Schlitz Audubon Nature Center for capturing this eagle and the Fox Point Police for transporting him to our doors. We’ll be sure to share updates on this case as it develops, but he could use all the positivity he can get during these critical, initial weeks. Hang in there, buddy.
🦅❤️

UPDATE 7/22/24: We’re heartbroken to share that after 8 days of intensive care and a few promising glimmers of hope, our Bald Eagle patient passed away on Saturday morning. 💔 We did everything we could – and *he* gave everything he could – but in the end, the poison had done too much internal damage and he passed away quietly in his enclosure. We urge you to please keep his story in mind whenever you hear of someone considering poison as a form of pest control. We know unwanted visitors can be frustrating, but our team is well-versed in advising humane, effective solutions that won’t cause undo suffering or harm to the culprits, nor the many other species who may feed on them after they perish.
We take every loss to heart, but this one is especially painful for the team members who watched him inch closer to recovery against all odds; we knew it was a long shot, but we rooted for him at every turn. We take solace in knowing he was not left to suffer alone for days on end, but instead passed away in relative comfort, cared for by people who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting wildlife.
To the countless supporters who have been in his corner since his arrival, we can’t thank you enough. Your words of encouragement and uplifting messages mean so much to us, and the dollars donated toward this work ensure we’re able to be there for the dozens of wild animals who have already arrived since his passing. We are eternally grateful to serve such a compassionate community – thank you. ❤️‍🩹

07/16/2024

Happy World Snake Day! 🐍

This gorgeous Butler's Garter Snake was found in Milwaukee with some small wounds and punctures on her. Once in care, we started treatment to heal those spots and she recovered beautifully before her successful release last week. Another happy outcome made possible by you, our amazing supporters! 💚

07/12/2024

It's comforting to know the teenage phase is wonderfully awkward for just about every species, including House Finches 😊

07/09/2024

While medical care is certainly labor-intensive, our staff, volunteers, and interns spend an astounding amount of time simply keeping our patients' bellies full. These young American Robins get fed every 30 minutes during the day 🤯 And they're just a few of the hundreds of hungry mouths we need to feed day in and day out!

Right now, all donations to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center are being matched by an incredible friend of WHS. That means your gift of any size can go twice as far -- and feed twice as many wild animals! To have your gift doubled, you can use the Donate button here or visit https://wihumane.me/WildlifeSummerMatch .
Thank you so much!

07/03/2024

While plenty of young "singleton" opossums like this do need to come into care, not every wild baby found alone is orphaned. Bookmark our website for answers on how to know if an animal you find truly needs help or not: www.wihumane.org/wildlife/help-i-have-a-wild-animal-issue 💚

06/28/2024

We received a call from some concerned residents about a fawn found alone and they were worried that she may be injured. Our licensed wildlife rehabilitators were able to determine that she was healthy and we shared that fawns are commonly left alone for long periods of time. We were so excited to receive this wonderful video update from the homeowners showing the mother’s return after seven hours apart!
So why such a long separation? Fawns aren’t strong enough to follow their mother around for the first few weeks of their life, so Mom will stash her baby to keep them safe. While this is typically in tall grass or brush, urban areas can make things more challenging, leading her to place the baby in a surprisingly visible area, such as a porch, a playset, or under a lawn chair. The little ones know to stay put, so while they may occasionally stand up to stretch their legs, they can lay still for hours on end.
If you find a fawn alone on your property, the best thing you can do is pretend she isn’t there. We recommend staying inside, keeping your pets indoors, and waiting for the doe to return. Mom is quite smart and won’t risk alerting anyone to her baby, so she won’t come back while there’s any perceived danger nearby, like dogs or humans.
And of course, if the fawn is lying flat on its side, covered in flies, or seems otherwise injured (such as blood or bone exposed), please consult a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. 💚

06/28/2024

🎉 Exciting news -- a generous friend is MATCHING all donations made to the Wildlife Rehab Center! That means any gifts made using the Donate button here, in-person at the center, or online at https://wihumane.me/WildlifeSummerMatch will go twice as far for patients like the one you see here.

This young Great Horned Owlet was found very weak and emaciated on the ground with a ruptured air sac. Owl parents do an excellent job at raising their young, but something serious had clearly happened, resulting in this little one becoming orphaned in such severe condition.

As part of his treatment at WHS, he was tube-fed and received a special diet early in his care. (This procedure can be stressful, so we only do this when it is necessary for our patients based on their condition.) Soon enough, he gained weight, got his strength back, and started eating on his own! Once stabilized, he was transferred to a rehabilitator who had a non-releasable adult Great Horned Owl that has been "fostering" the owlet, helping to teach him everything he needs to know to be a wild owl again someday soon. 💚

06/26/2024

🚨 Urgent need! 🚨
This summer has proven to be a very, very busy one. We currently have a HIGH need for fruit to feed our wild patients –- primarily berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.), grapes, apples, and pears. Fresh or frozen donations can be brought to us at 4500 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee between 9am-5pm any day of the week. Just head into the main WHS entrance and turn right towards our wildlife hospital.
Thank you so much! 🍏🫐🍐🍎🍇🍓

06/25/2024

It's lunch time!
Here are some of the many, many patients recently in our care. This group of juvenile Virginia Opossums were orphaned when their mother was hit by a vehicle. Unfortunately, she didn't survive, but her babies did and that's where we come in.
Our team is licensed, trained, and highly skilled in providing the medical care and treatment needed to care for the thousands of wild animal patients we admit each and every year, but we couldn't do it without you! Your support makes all this work possible.
🙌 Thank you!

06/20/2024

🎥 Watch this mama squirrel reunite with her baby!
While our team is constantly caring for patients in our hospital, some people are surprised to hear that we also spend a lot (and we mean A LOT) of time on the phone. Especially during wild baby season, we work hard to help worried callers determine whether the little one they found is truly orphaned or just needs some help getting back to their parents.

In talking with this particular caller, we were able to determine that it was a healthy baby squirrel who had fallen from their nest and gave advice on how to attempt a reunion. With the camera rolling from a distance, mom spotted her baby waiting in the comfort of a warm box lined with bedding, came down to retrieve them, and rushed them up to the safety of their true home in the treetop. We're so grateful to this caller and to everyone who seeks out our hotline or website for advice! We know it can be stressful to come across an animal you think may be injured or orphaned, and you may feel compelled to rush them to our doors immediately, but the best first step for their safety and yours is to check our website or leave us a voicemail so we can call you back to advise 💚

Here's the page to bookmark on your phone's web browser so you have it handy in case you ever need it on the go! www.wihumane.org/wildlife/found-sick-injured-orphaned-wild-animal

06/17/2024

Look at this stunning little one!
Typically, most Virginia Opossums are gray and white in color, but every once in a while we see a different color variant. This young joey is leucistic, meaning that she's very light in color, but still has some pigmentation that you can see in her dark eyes and ears. She'll be raised in care alongside her siblings, and once they're all old enough, released back into the wild where they belong. Some folks ask if leucistic animals like this can survive in the wild, and the answer is most certainly yes! We've seen old opossums of this exact coloration do quite well in the wild, so that does not hinder her ability to be released. 🤍

06/17/2024

🦝 Dewormer day for some of our raccoons! We are deworming for a specific roundworm parasite commonly found in southeastern Wisconsin. Working with wildlife requires us to be extra vigilant for disease transmission risks and align our protocols to prevent them from spreading. Our team is incredibly knowledgeable on many such diseases, including those that can pass from animal to animal, as well as zoonotic diseases which can spread from animals to humans. Deworming raccoons while in care helps protect that animal by removing their individual parasite burden, helps prevent potential spread to other raccoons and patients, and also helps to keep the people who care for them safe by reducing exposure.

Despite what you may see in some far corners of the internet, we do not recommend keeping wildlife as pets for many reasons, both ethically and medically. Wild animals require a high level of knowledge, skill, and technical experience to appropriately and safely care for them in captivity. Our ultimate goal for these patients is always release - these animals deserve to be wild again, just as they were always intended to be. 💚

06/14/2024

When this infant American Robin's nest was blown out of a tree, the finder did their best to return the little one to its parents. Unfortunately, it was determined that the hatchling was truly orphaned, so they were brought to our wildlife hospital. As luck would have it, we had noticed a new nest in a tree inside our outdoor enclosure area, so we placed this baby in with the others. Thankfully, the Robin parent gladly accepted the new addition and cared for them all together! Nature is amazing 💚

For more on what to do if you think you've found an orphaned bird, please visit www.wihumane.org/wildlife/help/orphanedbirds

06/12/2024

This is a juvenile Virginia Opossum currently in care. Note the big bin of leaves -- that's part of our habitat set-up protocol so they can forage and browse for snacks by rustling through the substrate. We also offer numerous climbing options and hiding places throughout their stay with us. 💚

Their care is great because of you! We couldn't do this work without the support of our community. Thank you!

06/10/2024

🦉 This Juvenile Eastern Screech Owl came in after being mobbed by some crows and left grounded for a few hours. Our team of licensed wildlife rehabilitators did a thorough exam and offered some rest and supportive care. Soon, the young owl was back to feeling zesty and acting spicy, and they were successfully reunited with their family! 💚

06/06/2024

🤯 107 animals released back into the wild in ONE day! 🤯
When we say it’s been a busy year, we mean it... After the recent storms delayed many releases, we were able to send 107 fully recovered wild patients back to their native habitats in just one day! This included more than two dozen mallard ducks, nearly three dozen squirrels, a few groups of cottontails, opossums, and many songbirds.

These patients came to us when they were orphaned or injured, and each one required admission, initial assessments, custom care plans, countless doses of medications, constant feedings, so many cage cleanings, and continuous medical exams throughout their stay. One by one, they’re cleared for release and we then determine which designated release site best meets their needs, identify a trained volunteer or employee to transport them, manage to safely catch and secure each patient for travel, and off they go for the moment they’ve all been waiting for. 🏡

Back at the center, those newly empty outdoor enclosures don’t stay that way for long… they’re deep cleaned and immediately filled by the long list of patients who were on deck behind them, freeing up more space inside for the constant stream of new patients who arrive in need of care each day.

As you can imagine, we are at our absolute busiest during the summer and could use all the help we can get. Here are a few ways you can make a huge difference for wild animals in need:
💚 Volunteer at the WHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: www.wihumane.org/volunteer/wildlife
💚 Register your property as a release site: www.wihumane.org/wildlife/how-can-i-help/become-a-release-site-location
💚 Spread the word about our online resources to help prevent new patients from arriving: www.wihumane.org/wildlife/help-i-have-a-wild-animal-issue
💚 Make a donation of any size to support our work: https://wihumane.me/WildlifeDonate

05/29/2024

🐿️ A request on behalf of local wildlife: please consider storing sports netting when not in use! 🙏
This Gray Squirrel mom got hopelessly entangled in a net but was luckily spotted in time for us to help. As soon as she was released, she zoomed straight up a nearby tree in search of her babies. 💚
Stories like hers aren't uncommon to us -- we get calls every year about owls, hawks, cottontails, and other species caught in netting. If your nets aren't in use, please take them down to prevent catching wildlife. Thank you!

05/24/2024

These two European Starlings became hopelessly entangled in plastic landscaping netting with no chance at escaping it on their own. While one was injured too severely to survive and required humane euthanasia, the other was able to be safely extracted, recovered well, and was released in April.

Every year, we admit chipmunks, squirrels, snakes, and a large variety of birds who have gotten tangled up in plastic netting like this. It's critical to fully secure landscape netting while in use and dispose of it properly afterward. If you're trying to keep a wild animal out of a hole, eaves, or other spaces around your home or garage, it's best to use metal mesh (i.e. hardware cloth) for a safe and effective result. There are also several alternatives to netting for keeping wildlife out of gardens, as well - more on that here: www.wihumane.org/wildlife/solutions/garden

💚 Thank you for caring about wildlife!

05/23/2024

Happy World Turtle Day! 🐢
Especially this time of year, turtles are on the move and you may encounter them on roadways, sidewalks, paths, or other high-traffic areas. Here's what you can do if you find one in a potentially dangerous location:

👶🐢: If you find a baby turtle, first and foremost, please respect its wildness; they should never be kept as pets. They can be gently moved off of the road/sidewalk/pathway and taken to the closest waterway in the direction where they were headed -- this is typically visible from where you found them.

🤰🐢: If you encounter an adult turtle on the road, you've likely crossed paths with a female who is on her way to lay eggs. Please do *not* take her to a "better location" or move her to a pond -- she's not lost, just on a mission! It is, however, ok to safely assist her across the road in the direction she was already heading, as long as doing so will not pose a threat to yourself or other motorists. More information on how to safely do that here: http://wiatri.net/inventory/witurtles/

🤕🐢: If you've accidentally hit a turtle or come across one who appears injured, please contact a wildlife rehabilitator for guidance.

🧼🐢: After touching any turtle, regardless of age or size, be sure to wash your hands afterward.
Thank you for caring about wildlife!

05/20/2024

Great news! After an extended stay in care to regain strength and recover from a fractured wing, this Cooper's Hawk made a full recovery and was released back into the wild! How excited was he to be back? Well, blink and you'll miss him in this video!

Your support makes recoveries like this possible - thank you so much!

05/18/2024

Great Horned Owls are fabulous parents, but did you know they don't build their own nests for their eggs? Instead, they will repurpose a nest from another species or will even utilize a crook in a tree if they can't find one! Amazingly, it usually works out quite well for them, but there are times when a strong wind, storm, or even a clumsy step by a baby may send them tumbling down a tree. In the case of these two owlets, they fell out of their tree near a school and the caring teachers reached out to our wildlife hospital for assistance. We do fantastic patient care here, but we need some help when attempting to scale tall trees, and that's where we are so grateful to be able to call in a favor from our friends who love wildlife as much as we do. The amazing team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control was able to assist by placing a wicker basket in the tree as a replacement nest to get these robust Furby-look-a-likes back up to their mother (who was closely watching the whole time!).
A joyful reunion for all involved!

05/17/2024

This dapper fellow was admitted after he was found exhausted and easily catchable in a Milwaukee County parking lot. Wild animals will make desperate attempts to avoid capture, even if they are injured, so allowing a person to approach and contain this patient was a significant concern. We provided immediate supportive care and after he was stabilized, we were pleased to find nothing was broken, but he did have some substantial internal injuries and bruising.
He responded well to treatment, and eventually made a full recovery. Woohoo! He was recently released - we are so thrilled to have given this bird a second chance at being the wild animal he was always destined to be! 🎉
Your support is what makes this all possible and we couldn't do it without you. Thank you!

05/17/2024

🥗 Donations of greens needed for wild patients! 🌱
Our need for fresh greens is at an all-time high with many, many patients in care, including Mallard ducklings. If you're able to bring in fresh, wild-picked, pesticide-free greens from your yard or garden like dandelions, plantain, sorrel, or clover, our patients would be most appreciative!
We could also use store-bought greens like romaine, kale, and leaf lettuce (no spinach, iceberg, or cabbage please). You can drop them off at 4500 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee any day of the week between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Just head to the right after entering the shelter's front doors.
Thank you so much!

05/15/2024

🦉 Wildlife releases have a lot of considerations: patients need to be medically and physically healed (having regained muscle, strength, and endurance); we want to take them back very close to where they were found; and, we need fairly moderate weather conditions. If we have consecutive miserable weather days, we may get what we jokingly refer to as a release "stockpile" and then it's all hands on deck to get our patients out once the weather clears! This Great Horned Owl is no exception - look how quickly she takes her opportunity to emerge from her transport tent to return to freedom. Woohoo!

Thank you for helping give wild animals second chances!

05/13/2024

This Cedar Waxwing was in care for soft-tissue injuries after colliding with a window. We are so thrilled that this bird made a fully recovery and was recently released into a flock of other Cedar Waxwings. This species of bird is particularly social, so we love sending them back into the wild to meet up with all their friends!

Window collisions are a big challenge for birds - glass is difficult for them to perceive until they are dangerously close, especially if there are reflections, mirrored surfaces, or other windows nearly to appear as a fly through. You can learn more about how to prevent window collisions here: https://www.wihumane.org/wildlife/preventing-window-collisions , and see what we have for sale for window clings here (a special promotion on the sheet of 9 clings for $3, shipping not included): https://shop.wihumane.org/collections/wildlife

Your support is so appreciated and makes this work possible. Together we are saving lives - thank you!

05/09/2024

Great news! This American Woodcock was recently released after a stay in our wildlife hospital for nearly a month. This bird had suffered eye trauma and other injuries after colliding with a window. Window collisions are a serious concern for migratory birds as glass is very disorienting and often reflective, making it a hazard for birds, especially during migration. Our wildlife team prepares each season for a large influx of window collision victims each migration season. Please help prevent window collisions - learn more here on our website: www.wihumane.org/wildlife/preventing-window-collisions.

PLUS, we are excited to be offering sheets of 9 window clings to help prevent bird collisions, for just $3! They are available to purchase in person at all of our shelters during adoption hours, as well as online (shipping costs apply) at wihumane.me/WindowClingsPromo - while supplies last!

Thank you for helping to save wild birds!

05/08/2024

This baby Eastern Cottontail Rabbit marks the 1,000th patient who has arrived at the doors of our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center already this year.
The little one came to us after a harrowing interaction with a cat and is now receiving care in hopes of an eventual release back into the wild. We can’t say it enough: our supporters are the driving force behind this work and we can’t do it without you.
If you can spare a gift of any size, donations are being MATCHED today up to $30,000 in memory of Charlie and Carol James, who were dear friends of WHS. You can use the Donate button here or visit wihumane.me/DayOfGiving2024
- Thank you so very much! 💚

05/08/2024

Donations are being MATCHED today in support of wild patients like this little gosling, who was found soaking wet and all alone. Canada
Geese are excellent parents but can find themselves separated from their young as they navigate the often hazardous journey from their nest to the water. After this hatchling got a chance to rest and dry off in our incubator, we worked diligently to pair him with a wild family. Canada Geese are quite wonderful in their desire to readily adopt new goslings, even if they aren't biologically theirs, and this tiny guy was soon welcomed with open wings by new parents 💚

To have your donation of any size doubled, you can use the Donate button or visit wihumane.me/DayOfGiving2024 today!

Thank you so much!

The Wisconsin Humane Society's mission is to build a community where people value animals and treat them with respect and kindness.

05/07/2024

🦉 We have a wide variety of perches that we use for our patients. They are different diameters and materials/surfaces to give our patients variety and the ability to choose their favorite perches as they rehabilitate. We also make some mobile to mimic the natural movement of swaying tree branches, which allows us to monitor how they perch and balance, giving us more information on how ready they are for release back into the wild. This Great Horned Owl was moved to this enclosure and chose this perch right away.
Since it was new to her, she struggled a minute to gather her balance but quickly figured it out!
We're happy to report that this Great Horned Owl has recovered well and was released a few weeks ago! 🎉