Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge

06/01/2026

Happy ending story, with a very valuable lesson in it.
The raccoon family in this 3 story Illinois attic had us a little nervous these last few weeks! An Olympic gymnast mother raccoon, but the (very cool) owner wisely opted to wait it out and the masked family has now moved on peacefully. Whew!

But here's a twist that needs told. This mother raccoon had to convince one baby at a time to descend this treacherous climb. Very slow going. She "parked" those babies around the deck and left them down there for the several days and nights that it took her to do this, checking on them, nursing them...

So, imagine someone now finding one of these babies...? Presumes the baby is orphaned, right? And what would happen if they tried to do a reunite? Nothing! The mom is there, she is fully aware and she WANTS the baby down there so of course she is not going to take him! It took her hours of work to get him down there!

The Finder would now decide the reunite attempts of the past night or two have failed and take the baby away. 🙁
This customer feared the same thing initially; she feared the mom had moved on and somehow that first baby she found hiding under the deck furniture had been left behind. Why would this scared baby be all alone, surely something has gone wrong!

Nope!

So please keep this story in mind when a Finder reports finding a baby, or several, that appear to have "no mother around". Especially if the baby(s) appear well-fed and healthy. An attempted reunite will appear to fail because the mother wants the baby there -- for whatever her reason. This is where a trail camera, and sage experience and advice, can be invaluable tools that prevent us from unnecessarily orphaning babies.

05/30/2026

🐰✨ Freedom Day for Bun Bun! ✨🐰
When this sweet cottontail first arrived, things looked rough — neurological symptoms, a noticeable head tilt, circling, and an injured eye that wouldn’t even open. 💔
But with time, patience, and a whole lot of care… look at him now.
Yesterday was release day, and Bun Bun took off like a bunny on a mission. 🌿🌼 No hesitation, no looking back — just pure, wild freedom.
Days like these are what rehabilitation is all about. Watching a once-broken little soul bound back into the wild — healed, strong, and free — makes my heart so full. ❤️
This is why we do what we do.
Every rescue, every recovery, and every release is made possible by the generosity of people like you. If Bun Bun’s story moved you, please consider donating to help us care for the next animal in need. 💛
👉 Donate here: https://linktr.ee/karinghandswr

05/25/2026

2026 Licensed Wildlife Rehabilatator List

https://myfwc.com/media/i0efjuil/licensedwildliferehabilitatorsbyregion.pdf

05/24/2026

🌿 Bun Bun Update! 🐰
Our sweet little cottontail is making incredible progress. Her head tilt has improved dramatically and her eye has healed beautifully. She’s proving to be a real little pistol — feisty, full of personality, and eating like a champ. 💚
It won’t be long now before Bun Bun gets her freedom day, when we’ll release her into a safe, grassy area to build her new wild life — exactly where she belongs.
We’ve absolutely fallen in love with this brave little girl, and we can’t wait to watch her hop into her next chapter. 🌱
Every rehab story like Bun Bun’s is made possible by YOU. If you’d like to support the work we do caring for Central Florida’s wildlife, please consider donating or sharing — every bit helps us give animals like Bun Bun a second chance.
🔗 Link in bio: linktr.ee/karinghandsWR

05/24/2026

So true! Shared from a friend.

Last Saturday, I was finally able to release Strawberry and Huckleberry. The weather had finally cooperated.

They disappeared like a shot as I had gone back in the rehab. Zero pictures. I had hoped to release Hadley and Coal this weekend, but looks like mother nature has other plans.

One of the things rehabbers hear often is "I don't know how you do it! I wouldn't be able to let them go."

When I started rehabbing, I actually had the goal of learning to let go.

You see, I wasn't always a wildlife rehabber. I've had experiences that have shaped me and one of the things that I struggled with personally was learning to let go. Letting go of sadness, people, fear, anger, amongst many other things.

I even drafted a document entitled Learning to Let Go as a Wildlife Rehabilitator.

The public (you amazing humans) only see a snippet of what we endure as rehabbers. There is blood, sweat, tears, ugly sobbing, laughing while sobbing, stomach churning events, we see things we can't un-see and we feel things we can't un-feel.

We get animals that are injured, sick, orphaned, broken, wounded, abused, scarred, fighting for their lives, clinging to life, losing their lives. We work with blood, urine, f***s, vomit, eye infections, abscesses, lacerations, and other gore.

But in the midst of it all, something beautiful happens.

The dependent orphans learn to eat on their own. The broken leg heals and allows for bearing weight. The eye infection clears up and vision is restored. The wound scabs over. The wing heals. The pain fades.

Then one day, the very animals that we poured our heart, soul, time, money, and energy into are loaded up. The kennels are opened...in that moment, everything we've worked for, everything YOU have supported, comes to fruition.

The bird walks then flies off. The skunk feels fresh grass under his paws and waddles away. The owl spreads his beautiful wings and takes flight. The mama opossum cautiously takes that first step into her second chance. The raccoon climbs the tallest tree.

And...

We walk away. We let go.

Yes, we cry. We worry.

None of it matters because they were never ours to begin with.

Photo credit: Ren Dowhaniuk

05/21/2026

🐰🦝 CALLING ALL ANIMAL LOVERS — WE NEED YOUR HELP! 🦝🐰
Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge is on the hunt for two very important items for our critters:
🌿 An outdoor bunny cage for our cottontail rabbits
🌿 A larger outdoor cage suitable for opossums
We’re hoping to find these as donations to support the wildlife in our care, but we’re absolutely open to other options too — anything that could work as a pre-release cage to help our animals safely transition back to the wild would be a blessing.
Every donation, big or small, helps us give these beautiful creatures the second chance they deserve. 💚
👉 Please LIKE and SHARE this post to help us spread the word
👉 DM me if you have something available or know someone who might
Together we can make a difference for Central Florida’s wildlife. Thank you for being part of our mission. 🌳🐾

05/20/2026

🐿️🦝 OUR WILDLIFE FAMILY NEEDS YOU 🦔🐰
Friends, neighbors, and fellow animal lovers — we need to talk about something important.
Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs entirely on the kindness of our community. We don’t receive state or federal funding. Every orphaned squirrel we syringe feed, every injured opossum we rehabilitate, every cottontail and we nurse back to health is made possible by donations and supplies from people like YOU. 💛
This year has been one of the busiest on record for wildlife rehabbers across Central Florida. Babies have come in by the dozens. Injuries have been heartbreaking. And the needs just keep growing.
To put it into perspective:
🥬 Food costs alone can run upwards of $500 a week to feed all of our animals
🍼 Specialized formulas for orphaned babies add up fast
💊 Medical supplies, enclosures, and heating pads are constant needs
🚗 Transport and intake supplies never stop
Here’s how YOU can help — every single bit matters:
✅ Donate directly or shop our wish lists:
🔗 https://linktr.ee/karinghandsWR
✅ Share this post — it costs nothing and reaches someone who may be able to help
✅ Follow & engage with our page so more people see our rescue
✅ Spread the word — tell a friend, a coworker, your neighbor
Whether it’s $5, a bag of formula, or simply hitting that share button — it ALL adds up to saving lives. 🐾
From every tiny heartbeat in our care… THANK YOU. 🙏💛
Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible.
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Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge mission, as a 501c3 is to rescue, raise, rehabilitate & release injured or orphaned Florida native species.

05/20/2026

🐿️ Our wildlife family needs YOU 🦝
Karing Hands Wildlife Refuge runs entirely on the generosity of our community. Every donation, every purchase from our registry, every share — it all goes directly to caring for the orphaned, injured, and displaced wildlife in our care.
This year has been one of the busiest on record for rehabbers, and the needs are greater than ever. Just to put it in perspective: food alone can cost upwards of $500 a week to feed all of our animals. 🍓🥬🌰
If you can find it in your heart to support our 501(c)(3), every single bit helps — whether it’s $5, a bag of formula from our wish list, or simply sharing this post.
💛 Donate or shop our registries here:
🔗 https://linktr.ee/karinghandsWR
(Link also in our bio)
From all of us — and every little wild one in our care — thank you. 🙏