
What it takes to care for wildlife
This is how much it costs from rescue to release to care for wildlife. For basic medical treatment, appropriate food/formula, and bedding:
Fawns
$500 or more to raise a baby deer

Photo credit: Emily Case
Foxes
$75 per week

Hawks and owls
$50 per week

Photo credit: Chet Gottfried, Ron Crandall, and Sue DeArment

Raccoons
$200-500 per kit

Rabbits
$150 in formula to nurture baby rabbits for 60 to 90 days

Squirrels
$150-200 for formula to nourish a baby squirrel to release

Breakdown of how much it costs to nurture a bird
- $12,000 – average food costs per year
- $1,000 – veterinary care for the year
- $500 – food costs per WEEK from May–September
- $90 – average amount it costs to care for an insectivore (chimney swift, barn swallow, tree swallow, etc)
- $45 – amount it costs to raise a neonate into adulthood
For example, curing an owl of West Nile Virus can cost up to $500. Repairing and rehabilitating a broken bone on a bird of prey can run upwards of $1,000. Enclosures for mammals and birds can cost in the range of $5,000.


Food, cleaning, and medical supplies needed by wildlife rehabs
Food
- Dry puppy, dog, or kitten chow
(not senior, indoor, or special diets) - Unsalted peanuts in the shell
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Fox Valley Raccoon Formula
- Fruit/vegetables/chicken baby foods
- Bird Seed
- Black Oil Sunflower
- Shelled Corn
- Scratch Feed
Housing
- Newspapers
- Heating pads
- Surgical drapes
- Bales of straw or hay
- Animal carriers and cages
- Rubbermaid storage containers
Enrichment
- Educational baby and toddler toys
- Cat climbing trees
- Dog and cat toys
Medical supplies
- Lactated ringers
- Syringes
- Needles (all gauges)
- Latex exam gloves
- Sterile saline solution
- Vet wrap, cling wrap
- Cotton balls
- Q-tips
Cleaning supplies
- Plain white paper towels
- Unscented liquid laundry detergent
- Clorox brand bleach
- Clorox Clean-Up liquid
- Dawn dish detergent
- Plain white Kleenex
- Clorox wipes
- Trash bags
Miscellaneous
- Unscented baby wipes (alcohol free)
- Wood bark mulch


How to support wildlife rehabs in Pennsylvania
Find out where your local wildlife rescue and rehab is and be sure to keep their phone number handy in case you ever have a wildlife encounter (e.g., orphaned, injured wildlife in need).

Pennsylvania statewide
Wildlife In Need of Emergence Response of Pennsylvania

Montgomery County
Philadelphia Metro Wildlife

Venango County
Skye’s Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Diamond Rock Wildlife Rehab

Westmoreland County
Wildlife Works

Carbon County
Carbon County Environmental Education Center

Centre County
Centre Wildlife Care

Helping Hands Wildlife Center

Stormy Oaks/Wildbird Recovery

Monroe County
Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center

Lancaster County
Raven Ridge Wildlife Center

Schuylkill County
Red Creek Wildlife Center

Tamarack Wildlife Center

West Shore Wildlife Center

Keep in touch!
Stay tuned for occasional updates on wildlife challenges and progress in the United States.
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