Since its creation in 1984, Ohio Wildlife Center’s animal hospital has provided care and treatment for sick, injured or orphaned native Ohio wildlife. Wildlife from more than half of Ohio’s 88 counties are treated, and more than 7,500 animals from nearly 175 species are admitted annually.
The Wildlife Hospital, supported by donations, has professional veterinarians and veterinary technicians who team with volunteers to treat, rehabilitate and release animals back to their native habitats.
Wildlife rehabilitation is the process of caring for injured, orphaned or sick wild animals and releasing them back to the wild when they are able to survive on their own. Permits are required from the Ohio Division of Wildlife to rehabilitate any native wild animals in the state. Additional permits are required from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to rehabilitate native birds.
In addition to our Wildlife Hospital in Northwest Columbus, Ohio Wildlife Center operates a Pre-Release Facility in Powell, Ohio. This facility, which includes flight cages, an aviary, a clinic, and an outdoor waterfowl pond, is designed for the final phase of wildlife rehabilitation. The animals are provided with protected enclosures, nutrition and care as they learn or regain natural behaviors to hunt and forage, as well as gain muscle strength and flight. Animals can reside at the facility for days to months, depending on their health status and assessments. This facility is not open to the public.
Ohio Wildlife Center has two 24/7 Support routes to assist you with a question about an injured, ill or orphaned wild animal. The easiest, the Found An Animal Tool, can help address your situation in three minutes or less. If you prefer listening to voice prompts, you can also call our Wildlife InfoLine services (614-793-9453) available to the public for questions, concerns and guidance in wildlife situations.
Native wild animals are legally protected. It is illegal for anyone to possess a native wild animal unless permitted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. A person found illegally possessing wildlife can be subject to fines, imprisonment and/or restitution. A person can transport an animal in need of care to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator. For additional information, contact the Ohio Division of Wildlife at 1-800-WILDLIFE, or contact your nearest licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
9:00a.m- 5:00p.m daily
Christmas Eve, December 24th and New Year’s Eve, December 31st, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
2661 Billingsley Rd., Columbus, OH 43235. We are located on the lower level of Animal Care Unlimited (2665 Billingsley Rd.). Please use the side door marked as Ohio Wildlife Center and follow the steps downstairs. Parking is available at the side of the building.
Thank you for bringing an animal to our Wildlife Hospital. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes have severely impacted our staffing. Our priority is providing exemplary animal care. Wildlife patients receive a full assessment from our qualified veterinary staff. Services are provided at no charge, but donations are requested to support operating costs of the hospital.
Patient updates are sent twice a month with a 2-4 week delay, depending on their admission date. This 2-4 week delay is to ensure data entry is caught up in our busy season and to give the most honest update as outcomes of rehabilitation are usually made at this point.
Please contact the Humane Society or Shelter in the county where the animal was found.
In any of these instances, the wild animal should be brought to Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital during open hours for evaluation. The animal will be evaluated by trained hospital staff upon intake. If it appears unharmed from the attack, we will return the animal to you for release back to where it was found. All wild animals attacked by cats will require hospitalization. There is always a possibility of unseen injury, such as tiny puncture wounds, which may lead to infection; crushing, which may cause internal injury; or shaking, which may cause neurological damage to the animal.
In Ohio, it is illegal for anyone to possess a wild-caught native or game animal without proper permits from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and/or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (even if you intend to release it later). These regulations make it illegal for an Ohio wildlife Center volunteer or staff to instruct a person without the proper permits to care for a wild animal in their possession. If you found an injured, ill or orphaned wild animal, contact the nearest licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital does not accept domestic ducks or geese. A domestic duck or goose must be taken to a regular veterinarian (you must assume financial responsibility). Animal Care Unlimited (614-766-2317), located above Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital, treats domestic and exotic birds. No rehabilitation of mute swans is allowed in the state of Ohio (as of winter 2008). These are a non-native species and many people keep them for ornamental reasons or as pets. All mute swans brought into the hospital must be euthanized in accordance with state law. For this reason, we only admit the animal if it appears to be greatly suffering or debilitated. Minor injuries (scrapes and bruises) may be able to heal on their own given time. Alternatively, if the owner of the swan can be found, the animal may be taken to a licensed veterinarian for treatment.
Ohio Wildlife Center does not accept tame, hand-raised raccoons for rehabilitation OR placement. Many people find babies in the spring when they are young and will raise them at home without the proper permits or training. We usually start getting phone calls in the fall when the people can no longer handle the “tame” raccoons that are tearing up their homes, or they are too busy to care for them because they are going back to school, etc. Please contact the Ohio Division of Wildlife at 1-800-WILDLIFE.
The State of Ohio does not permit rehabilitation of white-tailed deer. Severely injured deer may be admitted to Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital for euthanasia only. Reasonably, adult deer (with or without antlers) are very strong and dangerous; their sharp hooves can eviscerate a human with one well-placed kick. Adult deer are highly-stressed animals that do poorly in captivity and often injure themselves while attempting to escape. This often leads to fatal injuries. It is illegal in the state of Ohio to rehabilitate white-tailed deer, including orphans. Please leave fawns where they were found for all attempts at re-uniting. If re-uniting fails or there is confirmation of a dead mother, the fawn may be admitted to Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital. Our only viable option for these cases is to quickly attempt to foster these individuals into another herd with a lactating mother within the same county of origin. If fostering is not successful, the fawn must be euthanized, in accordance with state law.
Rehabilitation of coyotes is not permitted in the state of Ohio. All coyotes must be admitted to Ohio Wildlife Center’s Hospital for euthanasia only.
To help support our Hospital, make a donation to Ohio Wildlife Center today.