09/21/2026
A quick reminder to our community about who we are, what we do, and what we cannot do. Please share!
The SPWRC is a non‑profit wildlife rehabilitation facility. We operate entirely on donations, grants, volunteer labor, and limited resources. We are not a zoo, a pet shelter, or a place where someone can drop off their unwanted animals. We are also not a veterinary clinic for domestic pets.
Occasionally, we receive animals that were clearly someone’s pet—lost, dumped, or intentionally abandoned. Recently, we’ve had a few painted box turtles, pet baby ducks dumped at a pond, a Greek tortoise, a domestic rabbit, and even a bearded dragon found on a golf course with severe metabolic bone disease. We do not accept pet surrenders. We cannot take everyone’s unwanted animals.
These situations put a strain on our already limited space and resources.
We want to be very clear about our process.
Domestic dogs, cats, chickens, roosters, ducks, and rabbits are not wildlife. When they are brought to us, we contact Lubbock Animal Services. When possible, we also reach out to local non‑profit rescues. If they cannot take the animal, it goes to Lubbock Animal Control. The only species we keep and rehome are the ducks.
When we receive an exotic pet that may have been lost, we make a public post and allow owners to claim them with correct identification, photos, and the location where the animal was found.
Unfortunately, there has been misinformation circulating online about how we handle domestic animals. This misinformation is harmful. It leads to people not trusting us, and worse—it leads to injured wildlife not getting the help they need. We are asking our community to stop spreading false information. If you have questions about our protocols, please ask us directly.
A Note About Box Turtles:
Box turtles are one of the most misunderstood animals we see. Many are kidnapped by well‑meaning people who assume they are pets or think they should be near water. Box turtles have an internal compass and know their home range intimately. Moving a wild turtle more than a mile from where it was found can cause it to wander endlessly, searching for home—often leading to starvation or vehicle strikes.
Here’s how we handle them:
If we believe a box turtle is wild, we release it back exactly where it was found. If a turtle appears unusually friendly, we hold it for a short period and allow people to call us if their backyard turtle escaped. If we determine it was likely a pet, we rehome it to experienced turtle caretakers with safe, secure outdoor enclosures. This process is not always simple. It is subjective, and we do our best with the information we have.
A Final Reminder:
We are a wildlife rehabilitation center. We step up for exotic or domestic animals when we can, but our mission is native wildlife. We are doing our best with the resources we have, and when we make mistakes, we work to correct them.
Please help us by not spreading misinformation. It hurts wildlife, it hurts our mission, and it hurts the community we serve.
With that said, we currently have a few pet ducks and pet box turtles that need safe, responsible homes. If you are interested and have appropriate housing, please reach out.
Thank you for supporting SPWRC and helping us protect the wildlife that depends on us!
