http://northernneckwildliferescue.com/

Northern Neck Wildlife Rescue, 285 Kinsale Road, Kinsale, VA (2026)

08/20/2026

🦊 NNWR is looking for lumber! 🦊

We’re going to be replacing the perimeter fence for our wildlife area and are looking for 10–12 foot wooden fence pickets/boards. We’ll also need 2x4s and 4x4s, although those are a little easier to find.

Our preference would be cedar or appropriately treated lumber for durability.

Does anyone know of a local lumber yard, sawmill, farm, or individual who sells 10–12 ft fence boards/pickets in or around Lancaster County/Northern Neck?

If you know where we might find them, or have a lead on a local supplier. Please comment or send us a message!

We’d love to support a local business if possible. ❤️

08/19/2026

🩷 LET'S PLAY A GAME: GUESS THE PINKIE! 🩷

Have you ever wondered why a wildlife rehabber might not simply say, “YES! Bring me that little pink baby!” when someone sends a photo?

Sometimes, we need more pictures, more information, and sometimes even a positive species identification before we can tell you what to do next.

So let's have some fun with it! 👀

I'm going to share pictures of baby wild animals in the “pinkie” stage, before fur, feathers, or other identifying features make things obvious.

🎯 Your job: Guess what the baby is!
And don't just guess “mouse” or “squirrel.” Be specific! It matters because two animals that look incredibly similar at this age can require completely different care, housing, diet, and rehabilitation.

And here's the catch… 👀

Every one of these animals can be found here in Virginia, but TWO of them are invasive species that wildlife rehabilitators cannot accept.

So ask yourself:
🩷 Can you identify a species from a pink, hairless baby?
🩷 Can you tell what it needs without knowing where it came from?
🩷 Could you make the right rehabilitation decision based solely on these pictures and with absolutely no other context?

Let's see how good you are! 😜

Drop your guesses in the comments, and remember, no cheating! 😂

We'll reveal the answers and talk about what makes each one different. 🐾

08/18/2026

Why you should always contact a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator!!

Someone found these three tiny babies and reached out to someone who is not a state licensed rehabilitator for help. They were told that the babies were a species of mouse that wildlife rehabilitators wouldn't take, and the finder was advised to simply “raise them herself", and was given care instructions on how to properly raise mice.

Except… they're actually meadow voles. 🐭

And that's exactly why proper wildlife identification matters.

Neonatal wildlife can be incredibly difficult to identify from a photograph. What looks like one species to someone unfamiliar with neonates can be something completely different. These babies needed an in-person assessment to properly identify them and determine the appropriate course of care.

There was also something that couldn't be adequately appreciated from the original photograph: all three babies had wounds consistent with possible predator injuries. Without appropriate assessment and treatment, those wounds could have resulted in serious infection, sepsis, prolonged suffering, or death.

Thankfully, these little ones made it to a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator, where they could be properly identified, assessed, and given the care they need. ❤️

There is also a legal concern here. The finder was told to keep the babies and raise them herself. Had DWR encountered her in possession of native wildlife that she was actively attempting to care for, she potentially could have found herself in a very serious situation. Virginia regulations allow members of the public to capture and transport injured, sick, debilitated, or orphaned wildlife to a permitted rehabilitator after confirming the rehabilitator will accept the animal, but care should not be provided by the finder before transport unless directed by a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or DWR employee.

And this isn't about blaming the finder. She was trying to help. The problem is that she was given advice that could have put both her and the animals at risk.

Could they have initially looked like mice? Absolutely. Could an identification ever be wrong? Absolutely. That's exactly why we don't make life-or-death decisions based solely on a photograph.

When you're unsure what you've found, contact a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Don't assume a baby can safely be raised at home.
Don't rely on a guess from a photograph.
And don't assume that someone who answers wildlife questions is necessarily authorized to provide wildlife rehabilitation advice.

The wrong advice can have life-or-death consequences.

These three little meadow voles were lucky today. ❤️🐭

08/17/2026

🥹 Well… this just became VERY official.

We are officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. ❤️

I filed our application with a whole lot of hope, a little bit of nervousness, and a “well…fingers crossed!”

And the IRS said YES.

Northern Neck Wildlife Rescue is officially recognized as a 501(c)(3), with our exemption effective July 12, 2026.

I don't think I can fully explain what this moment means to me. What started as an idea has turned into something real, something that is growing, building, and becoming a permanent part of this community.

And I absolutely cannot take all the credit.
Thank you to every single person who has come along for this ride. The people who have shared our posts, brought us animals, volunteered, offered encouragement, cheered us on, and believed in what I'm building.

I'm not finished. We're barely getting started.
But today, we're taking a moment to celebrate this one.

Northern Neck Wildlife Rescue is officially a 501(c)(3). 🦊❤️

And holy crap… WE DID IT. 🎉

08/15/2026

Unfortunately, NNWR will not be at the Kinsale Market tonight. We’re so sorry to disappoint everyone who was looking forward to seeing us! 💚
We promise we’ll keep you posted about our next event and hope to see you all there! 🦊🦉🦇

Thank you so much for your continued support and understanding! ❤️

08/13/2026

Ash is going home! 🦊❤️

After almost three weeks of treatments, good meals, and lots of TLC, Ash is heading back to the very place where he was trapped.

When Ash came into care, I could count almost every bone in his little body. Today, while he’s still a little on the thin side, he is eating well, gaining weight, and looking SO much better. His skin has healed beautifully, and his hair is beginning to grow back. It will take some time for him to completely regrow that beautiful, fluffy coat, but he’s well on his way.

I have absolutely no doubt that Ash will continue to heal, recover, and thrive where he belongs, in the wild. 🦊🌿

It has been such a joy to be a part of his story. ❤️
Everyone send Ash your final well wishes as we celebrate this huge milestone with him!

Wildlife rehabilitation is funny. With domestic animals, when you send someone you love off to their new home, there’s usually a part of you that hopes you’ll see them again someday.

With wildlife, it’s the opposite.
I always tell my releases:
“I love you, and I hope I never see you again.”

Because when a wild animal comes back into care, it usually means something has gone wrong....again, and they need help....again. And as rehabbers, release is hard because we have to let go completely. We don't get to follow their lives. We don't get to know what tomorrow brings. We don't get to control what happens once they walk, fly, or run away from us.

We simply have to trust that we have given them what they needed to go back to being wild.
And that’s the whole point.

It isn’t about us.

It’s about giving them the chance to live the life they were meant to live.

So go be wild, Ash. 🦊❤️

Thank you for letting us be a small part of your story.

Now go make sure I never see you again. ❤️

Disclaimer: I promise I am NOT actually sticking my hand and phone this close to Ash’s bitey little face. 😂 These photos are just very zoomed in.
Please never try to put your phone (or your face/hands for that matter) this close to wildlife for a picture. They are wild animals, they are bitey, and they generally do not appreciate the paparazzi. 😂🦊
Admire the cute face from a safe distance and leave the close-up photography to the professionals (and the zoom lens)! 📸

08/12/2026

I had space… so I did what I always do and reached out to some other rehabbers to see who was drowning and could use a little help. ❤️

So, in came 9 juvenile opossums and 10 neonate squirrels! 🐿️

And honestly? I LOVE being able to help take a little bit of the load off another rehabber. That’s what this is all about to me. Everyone working together toward one goal: saving as many lives as we possibly can. ❤️

Wildlife rehab is a team effort. Sometimes you have space when someone else is completely slammed. Sometimes someone else has what you need. We help each other, share the load, and give these little guys the best chance we can. ❤️

So, Mother Nature… I’m doing my part. 😂

I opened up some space.

I took in some babies.

I helped some fellow rehabbers who were drowning.

We are now ALMOST full…

And I feel like I need to emphasize ALMOST, because those are famous last words around here. 😂

So, Northern Neck, I’m not saying you can’t bring me wildlife… but maybe… just maybe… don’t suddenly rain squirrels on my head for the next week or so. 🤣🐿️

I’m doing my part, Mother Nature.

Please don’t screw me. 😂😂🤣

KAY???

KAY. ❤️🐿️

08/10/2026

Yesterday, Pickles spent most of the day walking in circles. He wouldn’t track anything and seemed mostly unaware of my presence. While his body was getting stronger, it was becoming clear that his brain was not recovering.

I want to be clear that Pickles was not panicking, stressed, or showing signs of pain. He was comfortable and medicated for pain. If I ever felt he was suffering, I would have made that call.
I knew his chances of a full recovery were slim, especially this late in the fawn rehab season. But I had the time, and I wanted to give him every chance I could.

Around 9:30 PM, Pickles laid down in the most relaxed, healthy sleeping position I had ever seen him get into on his own. He slept peacefully. I watched him on his camera throughout the night, and sometime between 2–3 AM, he passed away peacefully.

Thank you to everyone who followed his story, prayed for him, and supported us. ❤️
I hoped Pickles would make it. He didn't. But I learned from him.

I’ll spend the next few days looking back at what I did, what helped, and what I might have done differently. I may never know if anything could have changed the outcome.

But this is how I honor the ones I lose:
I learn, so maybe I can save the next one. 🦌❤️

08/09/2026

🦊🌿 COME FIND US AT WATERMAN’S MARKET! 🌿🦊

Our next outing for Northern Neck Wildlife Rescue is coming up! We’ll be at Waterman’s Market at The Slips in Kinsale next Saturday, August 15th, from 5–9 PM! 🦀🌊

It’s going to be an awesome evening by the river with seafood, vendors, music, and lots of summer fun, and we’ll be there too! 🐾

Stop by our table, say hello, learn a little about wildlife rehabilitation, and grab some goodies!

We’ll have a few things to give away and, fingers crossed, some small items available for purchase to help support our wildlife patients. ❤️

Come enjoy the evening, support local vendors, and come say hi to us!

📍 The Slips — Kinsale, VA
📅 Saturday, August 15th
⏰ 5–9 PM
We hope to see you there! 🦊🦌🦝🦇🌿

08/09/2026

🦌 PICKLES' BIGGEST RISKS RIGHT NOW — AN EDUCATIONAL POST

So many of you have been messaging me asking for updates on Pickles, asking questions, or simply trying to understand what's happening with him and I absolutely love that. ❤️

It tells me that you're not just following along; you're genuinely trying to understand wildlife rehabilitation and what Pickles' recovery actually looks like.

So I thought instead of just giving you another “he's still hanging in there” update, I'd take a minute to explain what we're watching, what concerns me right now, and why some things that may look insignificant actually matter.

First, though, this is an educational post, not a post meant to scare anyone.

Right now, I don't have all the answers about Pickles. We are still very much in the beginning of his recovery, and with significant head trauma, things can change quickly.

What I can do is explain what I'm watching, why I'm watching it, and what concerns me most right now.

These two pictures are a good example.
The first picture is Pickles after settling onto his side. He has started repeatedly laying over into this postion over the last couple hours, and is honestly not a postion we ever want to find a fawn in. It typically means something is wrong.

The second picture is Pickles after I repositioned him into a more normal and safer resting position.

To someone who isn't familiar with fawns, they may just look like two pictures of a sleeping deer.
They're not quite that simple.

🦌 1️⃣ POSITIONING & HIS DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
A healthy fawn should be able to appropriately position itself when resting. Pickles repeatedly ending up on his side is something I'm taking seriously, particularly because of his head trauma and current weakness.

That's why I'm watching him on camera and physically repositioning him when necessary.
Pickles is also a ruminant, and his digestive system needs regular nutrition and normal gastrointestinal movement.

We are getting nutrition into him. But he isn't eating independently and I am unable to sustain the rate a healthy, active fawn normally would eat.

Prolonged inadequate intake can contribute to decreased gastrointestinal motility, and significant GI hypomotility or stasis can become a serious complication.

So we're watching his intake, output, abdominal comfort, activity, and most importantly whether he begins eating voluntarily again.

🧠 2️⃣ STRESS
Then there's the other side of the equation.
Pickles needs a LOT of hands-on supportive care right now.
I'm with him essentially every hour, sometimes more often. If he gets himself into an unsafe position, I have to go out and reposition him, then there's nutrition, fluids, meds, ect ect.

But every time we handle wildlife, we introduce stress.

And deer are particularly susceptible to capture myopathy, a potentially serious and potentially fatal stress-related condition.

So I'm walking a very delicate line.

I have to handle Pickles enough to help him heal.

But I also need to handle him as little as possible.

That's one reason the camera is so valuable. I can watch him without constantly disturbing him and intervene when he actually needs me.

❤️ AND HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART...
Do I believe Pickles is suffering or overly stressed right now?
No.

Considering everything his little body has been through, I actually believe he's relatively comfortable right now.

I also believe there are stretches of time when he isn't completely aware of what's happening around him.

And right now, I'm okay with that.
But I don't have answers yet.
I don't know exactly where this is going.
I don't know how much his brain will recover.
I don't know when or if he will start eating or drinking independently.
And I don't know what tomorrow will look like.

What I do know is that he's here.
He's safe.
He's being monitored.
He's being supported.

And I'm paying attention to every little change around the clock.

Yesterday was about getting Pickles through the immediate crisis.
Today is about managing the complications.
Tomorrow is still something we have to earn.

So please don't read this as me saying Pickles is crashing.

I'm educating you because I want you to understand what we're watching for and why the next steps aren't always as simple as “he's awake, so he's better.”

Wildlife Rehabilitation isn't always a straight line.
Sometimes it's one hour at a time. 🦌❤️

Northern Neck Wildlife Rescue

08/20/2026

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