Wildlife Rescue Coalition of NE Florida (WRC) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured, orphaned, and displaced native Florida wildlife. Founded in 1997 by Barbara Tidwell in her Jacksonville backyard, we have grown into one of the largest wildlife rescue organizations in the region.

We now operate on 26 acres of private property in St. Augustine, under the leadership of President Lisa Rowell, and serve a region stretching from Fernandina Beach to Palm Coast to Palatka.

WRC was founded in 1997 by Barbara Tidwell, who began caring for injured wildlife out of her backyard in Jacksonville. What started as one person's compassion grew into a community-wide effort, eventually expanding to our current 26-acre facility in St. Augustine.

Nearly three decades later, the organization is still entirely volunteer-run — a testament to the community that has built it.

To ensure respect for all wildlife through education and conservation, while providing orphaned, injured, and displaced animals with a second chance at life in the wild.

Yes. WRC holds the following credentials:

• Licensed by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
• Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
• USDA Permitted Facility
• Member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC)

We rescue and rehabilitate approximately 3,000 animals per year — including raccoons, squirrels, opossums, gopher tortoises, armadillos, foxes, bats, and deer. These animals are frequently victims of vehicle strikes, construction activity, storms, predator attacks, or human interference.

We serve a wide area across Northeast Florida. Our volunteers live and work throughout the region — from Fernandina Beach to Palm Coast, Hastings to Palatka — which allows us to respond to wildlife in need across a large geographic area.

Call our hotline at (904) 779-5569 — it's monitored 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm, and messages are checked hourly. You can also visit our Found an Animal page for species-specific guides.

While you wait to reach us:

• Keep the animal warm using a box, towel, or warmed rice sock (fill a cotton sock with rice, microwave 2 minutes, wrap in cloth)
• Keep it in a quiet, dark place away from pets and household activity
• Do not offer food or water unless instructed
• Minimize handling — limit human contact as much as possible

Not always — and in many cases, the best thing you can do is leave it alone. Here's a quick guide by species:

• Squirrels: If fully furred and uninjured, attempt reunion with the mother until dusk. See squirrel guide →
• Raccoons: Attempt reunion overnight — mothers are nocturnal. See raccoon guide →
• Rabbits: Eyes open and furred? Leave it. Mom returns at dawn and dusk. See rabbit guide →
• Fawns: A fawn alone is almost always fine. Check the ears — straight means healthy. See fawn guide →
• Opossums: Mother opossums do not return. If under 7 inches (nose to base of tail), call immediately. See opossum guide →
• Birds: WRC does not currently accommodate birds. See bird guide for referrals →
• Bats: Do not touch with bare hands. Call us for our full bat protocol. See bat guide →

No — do not offer food or water unless specifically instructed by our phone team. This is one of the most common and well-intentioned mistakes people make.

Incorrect food or feeding methods can cause life-threatening harm. Baby opossums, for example, must be tube-fed by a trained rehabilitator — attempting to feed them with a syringe can cause fatal aspiration pneumonia. Even water given incorrectly to a fawn or rabbit can cause serious harm.

Keep the animal warm, quiet, and contained, and call us right away.

We completely understand the urgency — and we're working as quickly as we can. WRC is a 100% volunteer organization. We don't have paid staff on standby. Every person on our transport team, phone team, and foster network is a volunteer fitting this work around their daily life.

Our phone team will advise you on how to keep the animal safe and comfortable while you wait. In many cases we can connect you with a nearby foster to minimize transit time. Thank you for your patience — it genuinely makes a difference.

No. It is illegal in Florida to keep native wildlife as pets without proper permits. Wild animals have complex dietary, social, and environmental needs that genuinely cannot be met in a home setting — even with the best intentions. Contact us and we'll make sure the animal gets proper care and the best chance at a full life in the wild.

WRC is not a trapping or wildlife removal service. In most cases, a healthy wild animal on your property is not a threat and doesn't need to be removed — we're happy to talk through the situation with you and explain your options.

If you do need professional removal, we recommend contacting Coastal Wildlife and Pest Control at (904) 855-9490.

For bats specifically: exclusion is the only legal removal method in Florida, and it cannot be performed during maternity season (April 16 – August 14). Call us for guidance.

No — WRC specializes exclusively in native Florida wildlife. For domestic animals, please contact your local animal control or humane society.

For domestic rabbits specifically, we recommend: Bebette's Bunny Rescue in Hilliard at (904) 874-6734, or First Coast Rabbit Rescue at (904) 389-2062.

Visit our Volunteer page and fill out the application form. We'll be in touch within a few days to discuss your interests and find the right role. No experience required — we train everyone.

• Phone Team — Answer the hotline and guide callers through wildlife emergencies. Work from home, 4-hour weekly shifts.
• Animal Transport — Pick up and transport animals to our center or fosters. Flexible, on-call basis.
• Wildlife Center Support — Hands-on care at our St. Augustine facility. 4-hour shifts, 7 days a week.
• Wildlife Foster — Care for baby animals in your home. Seasonal, spring through fall.
• Supply Collection & Transport — Pick up donated goods from vendors and deliver to the center. Flexible, no animal handling.
• Student Opportunities — Service hours available for high school (17+) and college students.

Yes — volunteers must be at least 17 years old.

No prior experience is required for any role. All volunteers receive hands-on training and ongoing support from experienced wildlife rehabilitators. What we can't teach is the compassion you already have — and that's what matters most.

It varies by role. We ask for consistent reliability — not perfection, but consistency. Animals depend on volunteers showing up when scheduled. That said, we work with a wide range of schedules and availability.

• Phone Team: 4-hour weekly shift
• Animal Transport: Flexible, on-call — take trips when available
• Wildlife Center Support: 4-hour shifts, 7 days/week
• Wildlife Foster: Seasonal (spring–fall), frequent feeding schedule required for young animals
• Supply Transport: Non-recurring, flexible trips

Visit our Donate page to make a one-time or recurring financial contribution. You can also donate supplies directly through our wishlists:

• Amazon Wishlist
• Chewy Wishlist

Yes. Wildlife Rescue Coalition is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

100% of donations go directly toward the care and rehabilitation of wildlife — medical supplies, food, facility maintenance, and equipment. To give you a sense of what care actually costs: a single baby raccoon requires approximately $340 in food alone over the course of its rehabilitation. A baby squirrel requires over 500 volunteer hours before it's ready for release.

Every dollar and every donated supply item makes a direct difference.

• Lisa Rowell — President
• Cynthia Douglas — Vice-President
• Barbara Kahler — Treasurer
• Barbara Tidwell — Founder
• Bill Lewis — Board Member
• Dr. Brett Darrow — Board Member
• Dr. Stephen Hart — Board Member
• Beth Boyd — Board Member

For full profiles, visit our Board of Directors page.

Visit our Board of Directors page and complete the Board Member Application form. The process includes an application review, an interview with current board members, and a final vote.

Board members attend monthly meetings and commit approximately 10 hours per month to strategic guidance, fundraising, community outreach, and organizational direction.