Second Chance Wildlife Rescue

05/26/2026

URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS
If you have volunteered with us in the past, or have taken any of our training classes, we need you! This is our busy baby bird/mammal season and we do not have enough volunteers to do what we do.
We will not, do not, can not, turn away an orphaned or injured bird or mammal. Pet rescues and city animal services can turn down or refuse to accept animals that need help when they have too many, but we cannot.
Second Chance Wildlife Rescue is a volunteer-powered organization and that is how we have been able to operate for as long as we have.
If you do volunteer with us, we ask that you are consistent with showing up and staying for your shift. If you do not like direct feeding of wildlife there is so much you can do such as cleaning cages and making food. We are currently dealing with 10 to 15 intakes a day. Please reach out to us at (915) 920-7867. Hours to volunteer are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Please do it for our wildlife, because they matter.

PLEASE go to our google website Second Chance Wildlife Rescue and fill out a volunteer application. Someone will review it and get back to you. Thank you!

05/20/2026

This young Great Horned Owl came to us today after someone found it near a very tall tree. The rescuers weren't able to get it back in the tree so Animal Services brought it to us. He is flapping his wings and seems fine with no visible injuries. We fed him a nice rat for dinner. He will be going to the zoo tomorrow for further evaluation.

05/13/2026

This baby cottontail was brought to us after being caught by a cat. Luckily, there are no obvious injuries, so we will provide antibiotics just to be sure. Cottontail rabbits are prolific breeders capable of producing 350,000 descendants in 5 years, using zigzagging, 18-mph speeds to escape predators. They are solitary, active year-round, and camouflaged, with mothers visiting their hidden, fur-lined ground nests only twice a day to nurse kits to avoid detection.

05/07/2026

Yesterday a jackrabbit (hare) came to us with a terrible head injury. We hydrated him with 30 ccs of fluids and gave him something for his pain along with bunny prayers.
He lived through the night but passed away in the morning. These cases are very draining for us.
Jackrabbits are not rabbits at all, but are actually large hares. They are native to Western North America and are known for their exceptionally long ears used for heat regulation and speeds up to 40 mph. Primarily nocturnal herbivores, they thrive in arid, open environments like deserts and prairies, relying on speed and zig-zagging to escape predators like coyotes.
Their powerful hind legs allow them to leap up to 20 feet. As herbivores, they consume grasses, twigs, forbs and cacti, often foraging from sunset to sunrise.

04/28/2026

Whenever there are strong wind gusts, we know it's going to be a busy day. Today we received 15 nestlings and hatchlings! These babies were blown out of their nests last night or early this morning. Because they are so tiny, and totally dependent, they are hand fed every 15 to 20 minutes, from sunrise to about 8 p.m.---a significant time commitment!
We also received a nestling barn owl. It had a sibling but it died after being blown out of the tree. We kept the survivor overnight and delivered him to the zoo vet. We think he may be blind. Many of the very young owl nestlings do not see well. He was very dehydrated and hungry.
The barn owl is generally nocturnal, though it can sometimes be seen hunting during the day, or the early evening. It hunts by flying slowly, then hovering over a patch of ground that it believes may conceal prey. It may also find a tree or post to use as a lookout point so that it can scan for food. When it spots its prey, the barn owl can swoop down to grab the creature using its talons. Barn owls hunt over open fields, generally within a range of about a mile from their roosting or nesting site. As well as its good eyesight, the barn owl has extremely sensitive hearing, to help it hunt.

04/23/2026

04/22/2026

Our educational mule deer, Habib, absolutely enjoys when our released birds land on his back for a ride around the property, a lot like Bambi used to do.

04/14/2026

We received a sparrow two days ago that made us realize how strong and resilient wildlife is, even when we don't think they're going to make it, especially after suffering a horrific injury.
A pruning company was working downtown with a chainsaw. The sparrow was not able to get away in time and was sliced. He also suffered a broken leg. He was brought to us in really bad shape. We did what we could for him, but didn't really have much hope because of how badly he was injured. His wounds were treated and his leg wrapped. He never showed pain but it was obvious he was hurting. We checked him the following morning and he was alive, and eating! That's what we call a brave little dude!

04/03/2026

This cute little cottontail was caught by a cat. She has a
difficult time keeping her balance because the cat bit her on both sides of hips.

03/30/2026

We received this nestling Great Horned Owl, along with a sibling today. Both were blown out of their nest. Unfortunately, the sibling died. We immediately took the survivor to the zoo due to possible bone injuries and a wound on the right side of his head that was oozing. Dr. Milne, the zoo vet, said the ear was full of maggots which were removed. She reported that he is doing very well and no broken bones were found. He is in great hands!

03/28/2026

We were overwhelmed with wildlife Friday and Saturday---a basketful of doves, and another basket of nestling finches and sparrows, all blown from their nests arrived at Second Chance Wildlife Rescue. Nineteen birds to be exact. Too many mouths, all crying for food at the same time. All arrived very cold and in shock. Thankfully, we had five volunteers show up today Saturday that took our Beginner Training Class a few weeks ago. Our assistant rehabilitator Victoria had them clean aviaries and cages, and taught them some basic feeding techniques.
From what we're seeing, we anticipate many more intakes in the next few weeks. This is what we call baby bird season.
Did you know that you can put a baby bird back in its nest if it falls out of a tree?
These are the steps to take:
Locate the Nest: Find the original nest and place it back on a sturdy branch.
Create a Substitute: If the nest is destroyed, make a new one by poking drainage holes in a berry basket or margarine container. Line it with dry grass, pine needles, or the remains of the old nest.
Secure the Nest: Use tape, bungee cords, or string to secure the nest to the tree, ensuring it is sturdy and close to the original location.
Handle with Care: Gently return the baby birds to the nest. If they are cold, warm them in your hands for about 20 minutes first.
Monitor: Observe from a distance for several hours to confirm parents return.
If the parents do not return, or if the birds are injured, missing feathers, or appear in distress, contact us at (915) 920-7867. We'll guide you on what to do.
UPDATE:
As of 7:30 Saturday, we had a total of 57, YES, 57 birds, with 37 of them being hand fed. We haven't even started getting in the song birds or insectivores. We are so thankful to our assistant rehabilitator, Victoria, for being here 11 hours helping train the volunteers in shifts. We could not do what we do, without donations. Help support our mission of rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife with a donation at the following link:
https://sites.google.com/secondchancewildliferescue.org/scwr/how-to-help