Wildlife Release Program

The Wildlife in Need Center’s mission is to rehabilitate and release wildlife back into their natural environment and to provide quality education programs. Since inception, over 65,437 animals representing more than 140 species have been brought to WINC for care or medical attention. Each species requires a slightly different habitat in the wild to survive and a place to call home.

When adult wildlife are brought to our hospital, we will often release them back to the area they were originally found. That location is most likely the territory they are familiar with and they may also have a mate in the area.
When orphaned or young wildlife are brought to our hospital, we will look to participates in our release program to offer their land as a home once they are ready to be released. Staff reviews sites, looking for appropriate resources for the particular species and will then contact a site to arrange/confirm a release.

Southeastern Wisconsin is expanding rapidly and appropriate release sites that will provide the resources our recovered wild patients need to survive are difficult to find, but you can help!

If you are interested in enrolling your land in our Wildlife Release Program please download, fill out, and return our Release Site Questionnaire and Release Site Permission form.

Please call us at (262) 965-3090 or email us at contact@helpingwildlife.org with questions or completed applications.

Red-tailed Hawk released fall of 2019.