Opportunities for those interested in a career in wildlife conservation.

Professional Training  >

Opportunities for all ages to meet and learn about our wild neighbors.

Education Programs  >

A resource for our region's injured and ill native wildlife.

Wildlife Hospital  >

See how we contribute to important animal and human health research.

One-Health Research >

A Holistic Approach to Wildlife Conservation

Internship, fellowship, and externship opportunities available.

Professional Training  >

Opportunities for all ages to meet and learn about our wild neighbors.

Volunteer  >

Help Wildlife at Home  >

Contribute Supplies or Food  >

Visit the Center  >

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Have you found a wild animal in need of assistance?   

FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

The Center is open every day between 9AM-5PM

Our Frequently Asked Questions may also address your emergency.

You may also want to consult with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator near you.  

  1. Observe the situation from a distance. Are there any obvious injuries or bleeding or signs of illness/abnormal behavior?
  2. Note the location (exact street address/location landmarks, if possible).
  3. CALL a professional: Blue Ridge Wildlife Center at 540-837-9000, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, or your local animal control.
  4. Regardless of species, do not touch the animal directly (wear gloves, use towels, etc. to prevent injuries and disease spread).
  5. Do not offer food, water, or medical care of any kind (not only is it illegal, it is dangerous for you and the animal).
  6. Keep the animal in a dark and quiet location away from people and domestic animals until transport.
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 
  1. Try and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator near you.  
  2. Until you reach a rehabber, keep the animal in its container, in a warm, dark, quiet location away from humans, especially small children, and domestic pets.
  3. Please do not feed or provide water to the injured animal as the animal will likely be too stressed to deal with food. Feeding the animal could cause it to aspirate or choke on that food or water.
  4. If you are unable to find a rehabilitator, bring the animal, in a container, to the Center and place it (within its container) in the 'after hours enclosure’. Please fill out the paperwork with details of the situation and your full contact information. 

*  including weekends/holidays  *

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is not a 24 hour facility. If your emergency falls outside of our operating hours, please follow the steps below.

Bird

Bunny

Squirrel

Opossum

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Rabies Vector Species *

Reptiles and Amphibians

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What type of animal did you find?

*Raccoons / Skunks / Foxes / Groundhogs / Bats  (please note: all mammals can get rabies!)

BACK TO ANIMALS

Baby:   
Follow the steps in this flow chart.
If it is already dark, keep the bird in a dark, quiet, and warm area with NO food or water. Attempt reuniting as soon as the sun comes up. Call the Center in the morning with any questions.

Adult:   Adult songbirds can be quite fragile. Use a hand towel (or butterfly net) to gently contain the bird in a cardboard box. Keep the bird in a warm, dark, quiet area until a rehabilitator is reached. Do not offer food or water. Recommendations for birds recovering from window collisions were once to test fly the bird after a few hours. Studies now show that any bird known to have collided with a window be evaluated by a rehabilitator. Cat attacked birds should also always be evaluated by a rehabilitator even if you see no obvious punctures and the bird appears to have recovered after a few hours. Call the Center in the morning with any questions.

BIRD

BACK TO ANIMALS

Baby: Follow the steps in this flow chart. Call the Center in the morning with any questions.

Adult: Scoop the rabbit into a box without direct contact and keep the animal in a warm, dark, quiet area until a rehabilitator is reached. Do not offer food or water.

BUNNY

Baby:  Follow the steps in this flow chart. If it is already dark, keep the squirrel in a dark, quiet, and warm area with NO food or water. Attempt reuniting as soon as the sun comes up. Call the Center in the morning with any questions.

Adult: Adult squirrels can be very dangerous due to their large incisors and sharp nails. Never handle directly. If the squirrel is weak enough that you can use a rake, shovel, towel, or other item to scoop the squirrel into a box (ideally plastic as they can chew through cardboard more quickly) and keep the animal in a warm, dark, quiet area until a rehabilitator is reached. Do not offer food or water. 

SQUIRREL

BACK TO ANIMALS

Virginia Opossums breed from February through September in our area. They move into their mother’s pouch after just 13 days of gestation and remain there for approximately two months. Unlike many other native species, mother opossums rarely return for lost babies, so leaving them out to reunite is not advised. If you find an opossum that is less than 7” from nose to tail base, that individual is likely too young to survive on its own and a rehabilitator should be contacted.

Most orphaned opossums are found in the pouch of mothers that have been killed in vehicle collisions. Do not rip babies off the mother (the entire body can be placed in a box with babies latched and brought to a rehabilitator). Opossums may have more than nine babies in some cases, so if older babies are seen wandering near a dead mother, take a good look around the surrounding area to ensure all babies have been recovered. If an injured mother is found, be sure to collect all nearby babies and bring them into rehab with their mother.

OPOSSUM

BACK TO ANIMALS

BACK TO ANIMALS

...and other high-risk rabies vector species should NOT be handled, including babies!

Even newborn babies can transmit rabies. It is best to leave nocturnal baby animals out overnight so that mom can return while she is active and bring them back to a nest site.  If you believe one of these animals is injured or orphaned, contact a permitted rehabilitator and/or your local animal control right away.

If safe, you can cover such babies with a cardboard box or crate to keep them contained until you hear back from a rehabilitator or officer with further advice. Keep children and pets away until you get help. 

Raccoon / Fox / Skunk / Bat

BACK TO ANIMALS

Reptiles and Amphibians

Reptiles and amphibians are on their own from birth!

Most of these parents, who are typically egg-laying, disperse after they have laid their eggs. Please do not attempt to raise hatchling turtles or tadpoles and never relocate these (or any) wildlife as disease spread can potentially devastate an entire population. 

If a turtle is found in the road, only intervene if it is safe to do so. If you do intervene, check both the carapace (upper shell) and the plastron (underside) for injuries. If uninjured, never move that animal further than the other side of the road in the direction it was already travelling.