Mission Statement
A hospital for native wild animals, teaching the world to care about and to care for wildlife and the environment.About Wildlife Center of Virginia
The Wildlife Center of Virginia is a teaching and research hospital for native wildlife, providing veterinary care and rehabilitation to thousands of injured, orphaned, and sick wild animals each year. Since its founding in 1982, the Center has cared for more than 100,000 wild animals, from songbirds, turtles, and small mammals to Black Bears and Bald Eagles.
At the heart of the Center’s work is its wildlife hospital, where veterinary and rehabilitation teams provide comprehensive, evidence-based care for native wildlife. Patients receive diagnostic testing, surgery, medication, supportive care, physical therapy, and specialized rehabilitation, with the goal of returning healthy animals to the wild whenever possible. Each patient also provides an opportunity to better understand the threats facing wildlife, many of which are directly connected to human activity.
As a teaching hospital, the Center trains the next generation of wildlife professionals. Veterinary students, veterinary technicians, wildlife rehabilitators, and other students and professionals come from across the United States and around the world for hands-on training. The knowledge and skills they gain at the Center extend the impact of its work far beyond Virginia as they carry that experience to future patients, colleagues, organizations, and communities.
The Center also contributes to wildlife health research and disease surveillance, collaborating with universities, government agencies, and other partners. Information and samples collected through the care of individual patients can help researchers better understand wildlife diseases, environmental threats, and connections among wildlife, human, and environmental health.
Public education is another essential part of the Center’s mission. Through in-person programs, online learning, live wildlife cameras, and a team of non-releasable ambassador animals, the Center reaches people of all ages with stories and lessons inspired by its patients. These programs help people understand Virginia’s native wildlife, recognize the challenges wild animals face, and learn practical ways to protect wildlife and the environment.