Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary

06/02/2026

Good information from fellow rehabbers at the Tiptoe Sanctuary. Please resist the urge to "rescue" a fawn who is just waiting for mom to return. Many fawns who are brought to rehabbers by well-meaning folks have, unfortunately, been "fawn-napped", and mom returns to find her baby gone.

You can also help protect fawns by not mowing during May and June, when most fawns are born. Their instinct is to freeze and drop their heads to the ground in order to camouflage themselves. They're extremely hard to see and will not get up and run when being approached by a lawn mower.

Please note: Meade and Breckinridge County rehabbers cannot accept fawns at the present time, due to the Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife policy regarding CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease). Please visit their web site at fw.ky.gov for more information and other affected counties in Kentucky..

Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary is still closed for animal intake at the present time, but we're here caring for permanent residents and educational ambassadors, and answering phones to give advice.

A fawn survives its first weeks by staying completely still, nearly scentless, and almost impossible to notice on the ground.
In its earliest days, a fawn’s body produces minimal odor, making it far harder for predators to track. Its instinct is to freeze, even when something moves nearby, trusting camouflage over escape. Those white spots are not just markings. They mimic scattered sunlight, breaking the fawn’s outline into fragments that blend into shifting light and shadow.
The mother’s absence is deliberate. She feeds away from the hiding spot and returns only a few times a day, often at low light, so her scent does not lead danger back to her young. To an observer, it looks like abandonment. In reality, it is calculated distance.
When a human picks up the fawn, that balance is disrupted. Scent transfers, the hiding place is compromised, and the mother may delay or avoid returning altogether.
What seems like help can undo a system refined for survival.
Stillness is not weakness,it is the strategy that keeps the fawn alive. Please share ❤️

05/28/2026

THE WATER YOU DRIPPED INTO THAT BIRD'S MOUTH JUST FILLED ITS LUNGS

You found a bird panting on hot concrete. You thought: dehydration. You tilted its head, squeezed a dropper, and let a few drops of water fall into its open beak. You were trying to save it.

The water went into its lungs.

A bird's airway — the glottis — is not at the back of the throat like yours. It sits on the floor of the mouth, right behind the tongue, as a small slit that opens and closes with every breath. When a bird drinks on its own, it controls this opening with precision, timing each sip perfectly. The system works — when the bird is in control.

When a human holds a stressed bird and pushes water into its mouth, the bird panics. A stressed bird's glottis opens and closes rapidly and erratically. Even a single drop of water entering the trachea during one of those rapid openings is enough. The liquid slides into the lungs. The bird may not cough. It may not sputter. It may seem fine for an hour. Then aspiration pneumonia sets in — infection, inflammation, fluid buildup in the airways — and the bird is dead within a day.

If you find a dehydrated bird, do this: place it in a quiet, dark box lined with a soft cloth. Set a shallow dish of water inside — no deeper than the bird's chest height. Let the bird drink on its own terms. If it is too weak to drink, gently moisten the outside of its bill with a damp cotton swab — never inside the mouth. Then contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

The instinct to pour water into a struggling creature's mouth is one of the deepest kindnesses humans carry. In birds, it is one of the fastest ways to finish what the heat started.

05/15/2026

A few photos with Broadbent staff, Chloe and Christy, and our Educational Animal Ambassadors at the Springfield Festival! Hosted by New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future. Thanks to everyone who came out to say hello!

05/15/2026

Join us this Saturday, May 16th, starting at 12:00 noon, at Love and Devotion Historic Tattoo in Radcliff for a fundraiser to benefit Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet our Educational Animal Ambassadors and maybe you’ll want to get an amazing tattoo! Have fun AND you’ll also be helping the animals!

05/11/2026

A world of thanks to the Grim Reapers Motorcycle Club for coming to Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary to bring a very generous $1,000 donation! It will go a long way to feed our animals. They’re known for providing support to many charities!

We’re not accepting new admissions at the present time, but we’re here caring for the resident and educational animals and providing assistance by phone, 7 days a week, 9 a.m - 4 p.m.

05/07/2026

Good advice from our friends at Furry Fixers Wildlife!

04/10/2026

Get ready for a wild afternoon at Saunders Springs Nature Preserve!

In partnership with Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary, we’re hosting a special Wildlife Education event on Saturday, April 18. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about our native wildlife and meet some of the rescued animals currently in the sanctuary’s care.

Event Details:
Saturday, April 18 from 1–3 PM
Where: Saunders Springs Nature Preserve, 100 Saunders Spring Lane, Radcliff

While the event is free to attend, the sanctuary relies on your generosity to keep running. Monetary and in-kind donations are greatly appreciated.

Needed supplies include:
- Cleaning Supplies & Paper Towels
- Food: Wet/dry dog or cat food, bird food, nuts, cereal, and canned chicken/tuna.
- Fresh Goods: Eggs, muffins, and produce (fruit/veggies).
- Comfort Items: Non-fitted sheets, towels, totes, and carriers.

If you can't make this one, mark your calendars for our upcoming Broadbent Wildlife visits on May 9 and June 13 from 1-3 PM.

Come out, support a great cause, and connect with nature. For more information, call 270-351-4079.

04/02/2026

04/02/2026

Although we aren't accepting animals at this time, we are still available to help with advice about wildlife.

Here are some ways you can help wildlife babies throughout the spring and summer!

• If you find a baby songbird who looks healthy, is feathered and hopping on the ground, resist the urge to “rescue” him, until you determine that he is truly orphaned. Baby birds learn to fly from the ground up, so they hop out of the nest and spend several days on the ground, with parents nearby, feeding and teaching them how to survive. If you find one who is out in the open, you can move him a very short distance so he's under brush and not so visible, but his parents can find him. If you have outdoor cats, this is the time to keep them inside to give the fledglings a better chance at survival.
• Be careful trimming trees in the spring, as the trees are filled with squirrel and bird nests. If you can delay until fall after they have all left the nest, that's best. If birds are swooping down on you or your pets, it’s because they have a nest or fledglings nearby and are only protecting them. Use an umbrella or hat until the babies have flown away, and your problem is solved. Don't let your cats or dogs get near the nest.
• If you find a nest of baby rabbits, unless the babies are visibly injured or you’re sure the mom has been killed, they are most likely not in need of help. Mom rabbits only visit the nest to feed the babies and are not there all the time so they don’t draw attention from predators. Baby rabbits leave the nest when they’re only 3 weeks old and about the size of a chipmunk. If you find one this size, fully furred with eyes open, ears up, and the ability to hop, they are old enough to be on their own.
• Be tolerant of mammals such as raccoons or opossums who may come in your yard, or even end up in your garage searching for food for their young. When their babies are old enough, they will move on. They want to keep a safe distance from you as well; they may just have wandered too close in search of food. THEY MAY EVEN BE OUT DURING THE DAY, SEARCHING FOR FOOD - THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE SICK. Don’t approach them, just let them raise their young.
• Be vigilant when driving, since wild animals are traveling more at this time of year, in search of mates, or finding food and a safe place for their offspring. Sometimes they have no choice but to search for food in our backyards. Try to respect and co-exist with your wildlife neighbors.

You can call the staff at Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary at (270)547-4200 for advice. We'll do the best we can to offer advice or referrals. Don't try to force food or water or raise wildlife babies yourself.