Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release

Serving the community of orphaned and injured wildlife, the community of citizens bringing animals to our attention, and the community of wildlife rehabilitators seeking education and support.

Our mission statement above shows how we hold community at the center of all our work. Trained and permitted; independent wildlife rehabilitators provide excellent care for injured and orphaned wild animals all across the state on their own properties/homes; giving immensely of not only their time, but their own personal finances too. They make a huge sacrifice to care for these wild neighbors of ours. WRR is there to care for them through education; formula reimbursement; collecting and distributing needed supplies; financial assistance; and networking.

The care of our wild neighbors is something WRR and the rehabilitation community is passionate about.  That is why growing, supporting, and developing the wildlife rehabilitation community is vitally important to both your community and those all across Minnesota. So when an animal in your area needs help; a skilled and permitted wildlife rehabilitator is there to care for them; and the Rescue Team is there to assist with capturing challenging animals or those is difficult situations!

So far in 2025:

• Wildlife Rescue Team
  • Wildlife Rescue Team has responded to over 1600 phone calls in 2025 so far; providing rescue team deployment, referrals, and guidance! Our team of trained and equipped volunteers respond to wildlife in need of advanced rescue coordination and personnel. The Rescue Team has safely rescued loons, pelicans, foxes, raccoons, hawks, owls, squirrels, rabbits, opossums, beaver, bobcats, ducks/geese and more! The Team also has provided guidance to callers on how to safely capture or transport an animal themselves, and helping connect finders with permitted wildlife rehabilitators specializing in the species needing care. We've also borrowed out live traps for the public to use to trap an injured or sick animal. The Wildlife Rescue Team has invaluably changed the lives of the animals they have captured in communities all across Minnesota. See rescue pictures below check the other tab above for some really amazing stories of the work the Rescue Team performs!
• Rehabilitator Training
  • Our annual Spring Training continues as a virtual format so people from all over Minnesota and the country can attended. This annual training has varying topics each year to meet the needs of rehabilitators and volunteers. We also host a hands-on training giving attendees the opportunity to develop critical skills to treat and handle wildlife. 
  • We hosted the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Councils' Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation course in lieu of our annual Basic Rehabilitation Education Workshop (BREW) this September. We had attendees from all over Minnesota and even some that flew in from the west coast! This training is aimed at beginners to develop a broad base of skills and knowledge necessary for success as a rehabilitator. We are dedicated to bringing quality trainings to Minnesota.
  • Online Learning Modules: We continue to grow and expand our online learning modules to reduce the barriers to accessing wildlife rehabilitation education in Minnesota and beyond. These modules are directed towards both beginner and experienced wildlife rehabilitators, volunteers, and community members; and are free to WRR members.
• Rehabilitator Support Programs
  • Rehabilitator Support Program reduces the financial burden for rehabilitators to access professional veterinary care and to purchase specialty supplies and caging. The average rehabilitator spends several thousands of dollars of their own personal finances to provide care for wildlife on an annual basis. WRR is dedicated to offsetting the financial burden of these selfless volunteers.
  •  Formula Reimbursement Program helps supply the specialized formulas these amazing rehabilitators use to provide appropriate nutrition to many diverse species with varying needs.

Please donate to support wildlife rehabilitation in your community!