NC Wildlife Rehab

06/19/2026

Imagine being at a park and your child—or in this case, a group of children—finding a raccoon caught in a leg trap.

Thankfully, the kids did not attempt to free the raccoon themselves, though that easily could have happened. Instead, they immediately got their parents, who then contacted local authorities. .

The trap was attached to a fence belonging to an adjoining property owner. During the investigation, the officer discovered multiple additional traps on the property.

This is absurd, infuriating, and heartbreaking.

Just think about how many animals may have already been harmed—and how many babies may have been orphaned because of this.

This is the second animal we’ve received that was caught in a leg trap at a park, and both cases have been in Mecklenburg County. There should be real consequences for actions like this.

First, it is illegal (without proper permitting/license, trapper identification, sizing, type, etc.)
Second, it is animal cruelty.
And third, thank goodness no children were injured.

This poor boy had both front legs caught in the trap—not just one.

We don’t know how long he had been trapped, but any amount of time is unacceptable, especially during this dangerous heat wave.

Although his legs were not broken, he is suffering from heat stroke, with a body temperature of 105.4°F.

Please keep this sweet boy in your thoughts and prayers as he fights to recover.

And we hope justice is served.

06/16/2026

We’re moving on up!

NC Wildlife Rehab is happy to share an update on the Chevy kids and Rosie—they’ve officially graduated to a larger Great Dane kennel as they continue to grow!

They’ve also welcomed a new friend: Tootie! Her quarantine period has officially ended, and she’s thrilled to finally have playmates and snuggle buddies.

Thank goodness we only have 18 garlic knots right now—not the 46 we had all at once last summer! 😅

Stay tuned for more updates!

⬆️

06/11/2026

Chantilly is hanging in there after her dog attack. She is still so young—almost like a teenage mom—and she seems understandably unsure and frightened.

Being a young, first-time mother is challenging for any species, especially while recovering from injuries. Despite everything she has been through, she is doing her best to care for her babies.

For now, Chantilly and her little ones are safe, warm, and receiving the care they need. When the time is right, they will be released back into the wild where they belong.

Until then, we are rooting for this young mama and her family every step of the way. 💚

06/10/2026

Content, content, content. I hear it all the time: "You need to post more content!" Trust me, there is no shortage of stories to share. The challenge is finding the time, because NC Wildlife Rehab stays incredibly busy.

We currently have a variety of species in care, including some of our scaly friends. Right now, we're caring for five snakes.

On Sunday, Dr. Laura performed surgery on Elvis, our Eastern Kingsnake. His Good Samaritan brought him to us after finding him entangled in netting. During his examination, we discovered he was also suffering from a severe eye infection and a serious mouth infection. We suspect these injuries may have originated from a bite inflicted by prey he had captured.

Elvis's Good Samaritan has been watching him for several years and is deeply invested in his well-being. They will be happy to know that his infected eye was successfully removed and his soft tissue wound was surgically closed to promote faster healing and a better recovery.

Unlike pit vipers, kingsnakes do not have heat-sensing pits to locate prey. Instead, they rely heavily on their eyesight and sense of smell. If Elvis is unable to successfully hunt after he recovers, he may become an educational ambassador animal.

As soon as Elvis's surgery was complete, another patient arrived—a Black Ratsnake suffering from severe netting strangulation. As we mentioned in our recent Black Racer release video, that snake was also a victim of landscape netting. Unfortunately, this material is extremely harmful to wildlife, and NC Wildlife Rehab strongly recommends against its use.

Please join us in wishing Elvis a smooth and healthy recovery.

We'll be sharing updates on our other reptile patients soon, along with Ashe, the Chevy kids, Tootie, and many more. We think you'll be amazed by some of the before-and-after transformations.

Stay tuned! 🐍💚🦎

06/07/2026

So well said by Jane of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue. As I said to her, boundaries absolutely do matter and you also can't fix stupid. Unfortunately, there are a lot of selfish stupid people in this world but karma does exist.

“I couldn’t handle this. I don’t know how you do it.”

Tom said it with his mouth hanging open after reading a post I showed him from a local Woburn Facebook group.

A woman was publicly criticizing us, claiming we were awful. According to her, we “make bank off donations” but have no problem saying no to animals.

I didn’t have to explain to Tom how far from the truth that was. He and his wife are close friends. They have seen firsthand the countless hours, sleepless nights, financial sacrifices, and emotional toll that come with caring for wildlife.

The donations we have received recently have gone directly toward purchasing a clinic so we can help even more animals in the future. Yet somehow, we’re being criticized for that too.

I told Tom those posts don’t bother me much anymore. The moment you become visible, there will always be someone ready to criticize what you do.

I drove home from his house and, as I pulled into my driveway, I noticed a box sitting beside my mailbox.

It wasn’t mine.

Inside was trash. Buried within that trash was a smaller box, sealed shut with painter’s tape.

Inside that box were five baby bunnies. I have no idea how long they were left out there in the heat like that.

We are full.

We have posted it publicly. It’s on our voicemail. We have told people repeatedly that we need a pause to catch our breath and properly care for the animals already entrusted to us.

And yet, there they were. I brought them inside. I had no choice.

What gets me isn’t the Facebook post.

It’s the lack of respect for boundaries. It’s using my empathy against me.

It’s the belief that if someone dedicates their life to helping others, they lose the right to say, “I can’t take on any more right now.”

I guess what I’m trying to say is that boundaries matter.

Not everyone will respect them, but they matter.

Our voicemail clearly states that we are full. It also directs callers to a website listing more than 180 other permitted wildlife rehabilitators across Massachusetts. But that wasn’t enough. We couldn’t accept the animals this woman found, so the conclusion was that we must be terrible people and she felt the need to publicly bash us.

We currently have more than 140 animals in our care.

We made promises to those animals and their finders. Those promises mean something to us.

We promised that they would have enough food, enough space, clean enclosures, proper medical care, and the time and attention they deserve.

We cannot keep those promises if we continue accepting more animals than we can responsibly care for.

We cannot pour from an empty cup.

Pushing past someone’s boundaries -whether that’s publicly attacking them for saying no or abandoning animals at their doorstep after they’ve clearly said they’re full - isn’t compassion.

It’s entitlement.

To my fellow wildlife rehabilitators, and to anyone carrying more than they should, you do not have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm. Hold firm my friends. You deserve the same empathy you show everyone else.

06/05/2026

Green Space... Does That Mean Free-Roaming Dog Space?

NC Wildlife Rehab says no, it does not.

We know this may not be a popular message with some dog lovers. We love our dogs too, but responsible pet ownership means keeping them leashed where leash laws and park rules require it.

This young female opossum, pregnant with a litter of babies, was peacefully living in the beautiful Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary when she became the victim of a dog attack. Thankfully, a Good Samaritan's leashed dog alerted to her hiding beneath a bush, and the finder acted quickly to get both mom and babies the help they needed.

Wildlife is already being pushed out of its natural habitat by rapid development. Green spaces and ecological sanctuaries exist to provide refuge for wildlife and a place for people to enjoy nature—not as off-leash areas where native animals are put at risk.

This attack was entirely preventable had the dog been on a leash.

Our wildlife is doing its best to adapt to the changes we have made to the landscape, yet we continue to encroach on the little space they have left. If wildlife cannot safely exist in protected green spaces, where are they supposed to go?

There are also risks to dogs and their owners. An off-leash dog can easily approach another leashed dog, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Or imagine your dog encountering a mother raccoon, fox, or skunk that is out foraging while her babies wait nearby. If a bite or exposure occurred, the wildlife could be euthanized for rabies testing, leaving dependent young orphaned. Nobody wins in that situation.

Please be a responsible pet owner and keep your dogs leashed while enjoying green spaces. There are designated areas where dogs can safely run off leash. By using those spaces appropriately, we can help protect wildlife, our pets, and other visitors.

As for this young opossum, this is likely her first litter—not exactly how any first-time mother would want to begin raising her babies.

She suffered multiple bite wounds, broken ribs, severe bruising, subcutaneous emphysema, anemia, and is understandably sore and frightened. The good news is that she has no broken legs, and her babies appear healthy at this time.

NC Wildlife Rehab will give her the care and respect she deserves while she recovers.

Please keep this mom and her babies in your thoughts. We are hoping for a full recovery and a second chance for this little family. ❤️🦘

06/04/2026

Ringtail Rescue & Sanctuary is a great organization to support. NC does not have enough fawn rehabbers as is, so having them available would be a tremendous asset to the NC rehab community.

There are countless fawn calls a day. While most need to be left to reunite with their moms, there are indeed many that need help and I know this organization will do a fantastic job with them.

Please consider supporting their goal.

We are thinking of rehabilitating fawns! We need your help!

Before I can do so, we need to have a fence that is 10'Hx100'Lx100'W installed. It also has to have a lean too roof attached so they can get out rain-

Question:
1- Is there anyone that could give me a quote to do the work? This work has to be inspected and passed by the State Resources Biologists.

2- would everyone be willing to donate funds to help us once we got the quote? We are a 501-C charity!

06/04/2026

NC Wildlife Rehab with another happy release! 🐢

Alex, a juvenile male snapping turtle, is now living his best life in a protected stream and wetland restoration conservation easement.

He was found wandering through a parking lot covered in leeches. After all of the parasites were removed and he proved to be eating well, it was time for him to return to the wild and enjoy a safe, thriving habitat.

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is not only helping wildlife recover, but also helping create and protect the habitats they depend on. It's especially meaningful when NC Wildlife Rehab patients, like Alex, get the opportunity to be released into these carefully restored natural areas, and coworkers get to be a part of the joy. 🌿🐢💚

06/03/2026

NC Wildlife Rehab is Tackling Tues Night

Another busy evening:

5 🦨
1🦇
3 🐇
1 🐍

Other species currently in care:
🦊🐺🐿🦫🦝🐢
Will provide updates soon. Sorry for the delay.