Arkansas Wildlife Orphanage. Rescue - Rehab - Release

06/14/2026

06/13/2026

If you are tempted to care for a wild animal on your own, please ask yourself these questions first:

1. What is the best thing I can do for this animal?
If I’m having a hard time letting go of the animal now, how will I feel after I’ve really grown attached?

2. Am I prepared to deal with the legal and financial consequences of keeping a wild animal illegally? How will I feel if the animal is discovered, confiscated, and possibly euthanized?

3. Am I prepared to deal with the health consequences of someone being bitten or scratched, my pets or house becoming infested with parasites, a person or pet catching a disease, or just simple allergic reactions?

4. Can I be certain that, once I’ve released the animal back to the wild, it is capable of surviving on its own? Am I providing the best possible chance for survival?

5. How will my family and I feel if the animal dies in our care or is permanently impaired by my improper care?

Turning the animal over to a licensed/permitted wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible is the best way to safeguard human and pet safety while providing the wild animal with the best chance of survival. Call a wildlife rehabilitator right away for advice and answers to your questions.

06/13/2026

Please leave WILDLIFE in the WILD! :)

DEER FAWN IN COVER:
A deer fawn’s instinct to stay perfectly still and quiet is how it avoids predators; the mother is likely nearby waiting for you to leave. *The AGFC prohibits the rehabilitation of deer because of the possibility of unknowingly transporting chronic wasting disease to a previously unexposed area of the state*

OWLET ON BRANCH:
Even if a baby owl or bird falls from the nest, the parents often tend to it on the ground if it is healthy until it is ready to fly.

BEAR CUBS:
Black bear cubs may look cute and cuddly, but their mom rarely leaves them for more than a short foraging run, and they can be unpredictable when the situation involves their young. The best course of action is to back away and leave the area, leaving the cubs where you found them.

Get caught up on Leave ‘abandoned’ wildlife where you find it from the AGFC.

05/25/2026