If you’ve found a wild animal needing help near Austin, Texas, you might want to know what you should do with it. It’s not a stray dog or cat, so it’s not as simple as taking it to a local pet shelter or humane society.
What should you do with a wild animal in Texas, and where should you take it?
Wild animals were meant to be in their natural habitat, and with professional rescue and rehabilitation, they can be returned to the wild to live a full, natural life.
Central Texas has dozens of individually licensed rescues and state-sponsored rehabilitation services.
In this guide, we’ll talk you through twelve of the most convenient places to leave a wounded wild animal in and around Austin and what to do if you have a larger or more dangerous animal.
Other articles you would like: Best Horse Rescues In Michigan and Best Horse Rescues In California.
Can You Adopt Rescued Wildlife in Texas?
No matter where you are in the United States, wildlife adoption is illegal. Whether you found a stray squirrel pup or an orphaned fawn, you must return the animal to its natural habitat.
Adopting wildlife involves regulations and standards for the care of wild animals, and you must be licensed to care for them.
If you’re looking to adopt wildlife, you should search for local dog or cat shelters. There are thousands of full shelters and domesticated animals looking for a good home. However, if you’ve found an injured wild animal, take them to one of these specialized rescues.
Top 12+ Wildlife Rescues in Austin, Texas
According to United States laws, wildlife rescues and rehabilitation centers must be fully licensed in order to care for injured wildlife.
The ultimate goal is to send them back to the wild to live and hunt successfully. Here are the best wildlife rescues in and around Austin.
1. Austin Wildlife Rescue
Austin Wildlife Rescue is the first place you should look if you’ve found a wounded animal in the Austin area. With several intake centers and a wide web of contacts, this supercenter can help you find the help you need.
Due to space restrictions, Austin Wildlife Rescue does not accept adult deer, non-native species, or domesticated animals. However, any native wild animal other than those exceptions is welcome.
Austin Wildlife Rescue Details:
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-472-9453
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Austin Wildlife Rescue
2. Austin Area Wildlife Rehabilitation
The second largest wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary in Austin, this rescue accepts animals of all sizes and attempts to rehabilitate them back into their natural habitat.
They also educate the general public and offer information about nuisance wildlife in your area.
If you have issues with wildlife in your yard or home, call Austin Area Wildlife Rehabilitation to get a good idea of what you should do without hurting the animals.
Austin Area Wildlife Rehabilitation Details:
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-472-9453
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Austin Area Wildlife Rehabilitation
3. Safe in Austin
Although not strictly a rescuing wildlife refuge, Safe In Austin works with wildlife as well as domesticated animals who have seen abuse. If a wild animal was illegally kept as a pet or abused, it could find a safe home at Safe in Austin.
The majority of these animals are tame, but they offer services for tortoises and other wild animals. If you are looking for adoptable wildlife or a domesticated exotic animal legally, Safe in Austin might have options.
Safe in Austin Details:
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Safe in Austin
4. A New Start Wildlife Rescue & Rehab
A New Start Wildlife Rescue & Rehab (ANSWRR) is run by four friends who have dedicated their lives to animal rehabilitation. These four women take in hundreds of small animals every year and rehabilitate them to release them in the wild.
A New Start Wildlife Rescue & Rehab only has the capabilities for small animals, mammals, and reptiles. Although they accept some amphibians, the rescue doesn’t accept any kind of birds or larger mammals (including deer).
A New Start Wildlife Rescue & Rehab Details:
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-387-0927
- Website: A New Start Wildlife Rescue & Rehab
5. All Things Wild Rehabilitation
All Things Wild is another small-mammal and bird rescue near Austin, Texas. With specialties in raptors and other birds of prey, All Things Wild will accept any small mammal or abandoned baby animal.
Although All Things Wild takes fawns, the rescue doesn’t accept full-grown deer or any larger mammals. They have a strict protocol for taking animals in – please refer to their website before calling about an animal.
All Things Wild Rehabilitation Details:
- Location: Georgetown, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-897-0806
- Website: All Things Wild Rehabilitation
6. Talons and Claws Rescue
Talons and Claws Rescue works in and around Lady Bird Lake and accepts any and all native wildlife. From falcons to amphibians, this small rescue works to release animals back into their natural habitat in weeks.
If you have small or large mammals, Talons and Claws will take them. The rescue also takes nocturnal animals, such as owls, mice, and bats.
Talons and Claws Rescue Details:
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-773-5653
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Talons and Claws Rescue
7. Moonshine Wildlife Rehabilitation
Moonshine Wildlife Rehabilitation center is a small, family-run rescue that has only been open for a few years. Dependent on donations and the generosity of local supporters, Moonshine has helped hundreds of small, orphaned animals since 2019.
This small shelter has a great rate of returning animals to their natural habitat. Because of its size, it can focus individual attention on struggling animals more than many large or understaffed shelters.
Moonshine Wildlife Rehabilitation Details:
- Location: Cedar Park, Texas
- Phone Number: 512-626-1632
- Website: Moonshine Wildlife Rehabilitation
8. Wild Things Rescue Ranch
If you’ve found a deer, antelope, or larger animal, you might have a harder time finding a wildlife rescue or rehabilitation center. However, Wild Things Rescue Ranch allows all sizes of animals, from baby squirrels to foundling deer.
Owned by a U.S. Army veteran and his wife, this ranch focuses on rehabilitating animals of all sizes and returning them to their natural habitat. It takes in animals from all around the Texas Hill Country.
Wild Things Rescue Ranch Details:
- Location: Johnson City
- Phone Number: 325-829-2298
- Website: Wild Things Rescue Ranch
9. Southern Wildlife Rehab
Southern Wildlife Rehab is part of the net of wildlife rehabilitation centers in Central Texas. With the rest of the options on this list, Southern Wildlife Rehab takes in small mammals such as squirrels, skunks, foxes, and other small animals.
Although it doesn’t take in larger animals, this rehab center specializes in orphaned babies. Raccoons and opossums are especially common throughout the summer, and Southern Wildlife Rehab takes in many of them.
Southern Wildlife Rehab Details:
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Phone Number: 210-272-9621
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Southern Wildlife Rehab
10. Last Chance Forever
Last Chance Forever is further south than many of the options on this list, but it focuses on birds of prey.
A veterinarian-owned and run rescue, Last Chance Forever has been able to save thousands of birds from death through rescue, surgery, and rehabilitation.
The bird sanctuary receives around 250 injured or orphaned birds per year and successfully rehabilitates over 85% of these birds back into the wild. If you’ve found an injured large bird or bird of prey south of Austin, call Last Chance Forever.
Last Chance Forever Details:
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Phone Number: 210-499-4080
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Last Chance Forever
11. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc.
Located halfway between Austin and San Antonio, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation has been a staple in Central Texas animal rescuing since the 1970s.
While many smaller rescues refuse non-native wildlife, this company is non-discriminatory towards animals in need.
With a huge plot of land and a large amount of availability, you will likely find a spot for an injured animal at Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. They ask that you only call about animals, as they might not get to emails in time to save the animal.
Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc. Details:
- Location: Kendalia, Texas
- Phone Number: 830-336-2725
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc.
12. Individual Rescues
In addition to these larger rescues, several individuals run licensed rescues out of their homes. If the larger rescues don’t have space, they might direct you to one of these passionate and qualified rescue individuals.
Most individual rescuers have a specialty, so if you’ve found an exotic or rare animal, check out the list below to see if any of the individual rescuers might have a special interest or license for that particular animal.
Individual Rescues Details:
- Location: Austin
- Website: Individual Rescues
National Wildlife Rescues
If you can’t find what you’re looking for on this list, check out some of the national resume wildlife that might be able to help you. The Humane Society of America has a list of state and county wildlife rescues, both individually run and state-sponsored.
These rescues specialize in a variety of wild animals and will be able to help you with the injured or orphaned animal you’ve found. You can make a difference in the life of that wild creature by dropping it off in the best spot for it.
Conclusion For “Wildlife Rescues in Austin – Top Wildlife Rescues”
With all of these options in and around Austin, you should be able to find options with space and resources to help any injured or orphaned wild animal you find.
You can ask for updates about the animal and monitor its success through local rescues. With the help of these services, you can make a difference in the world.
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