Help Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation Help the Animals!

Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation is dedicated to providing medical care, nourishment, and shelter to injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife in Western Massachusetts until they are healthy enough to return to their natural environment. We specialize in rehabilitating small mammals, such as raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, and porcupines.

In 2000, the concept of Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation was born from our founder and animal advocate, Daveda Howe, who was one of many people on the scene of a skunk that had been hit by a car. No one knew what to do, and there were no local medical facilities for wildlife, so Daveda simply sat beside the injured creature, gently petting and comforting him until he died. After encountering several other instances of wild animals in need with nowhere to go for care, Daveda became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and established Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation in 2001. Today, our rehabilitators and volunteers aim to continue this important work for wildlife in our communities, as a commitment to Daveda’s legacy, as she sadly passed away in 2020.

The scene that Daveda happened upon in 2000 is not uncommon. At Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation, approximately 75% of injured and ailing wild animals and 95% of orphaned babies are casualties of human interference, such as car accidents, tree trimming, and trapping.

In order to lessen these tragedies, Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation not only provides a temporary safe haven and critical care for these animals, but also strives to address common misconceptions about wildlife and educate the public on how to resolve issues with our non-human neighbors, humanely and safely .

Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation is a 501(c)(3) charity that receives no state or federal aid. We are staffed completely by volunteers, including our licensed rehabilitators, who care for animals out of their homes, while holding down full-time jobs.

Without the assistance of community members, who whole-heartedly believe in our mission, Urban Wildlife Rehabilitation would not be able to provide essential services for wild animals in need, as we have since 2001. We are truly grateful for the generosity of our supporters.