Give Orphaned and Injured Wildlife a Second Chance

From a one-woman operation treating a handful of native animals each year to a thriving, standalone facility caring for hundreds of patients annually, the Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary has come a long way in the past two decades. 

Since our founding, over 10,000 injured and orphaned animals have found refuge in our care. But we’re more than just a sanctuary for wildlife. Humans find hope here, too! Hundreds of volunteers have helped us flourish, from transporting animals to providing hands-on care to building our 50+ outdoor enclosures. We’ve also trained dozens of student interns, empowering the next generation of wildlife conservationists.

As we celebrate our 20th year, 2024 has brought a record number of patients. With over 1,000 animals admitted so far—already surpassing last year’s total of 944—we are doing more than ever to help animals in need. But with these rising numbers comes the challenge of providing enough space to care for each patient.

Our team remains dedicated to offering the best care possible to every animal, but we’ve reached a critical point. Our current facilities are stretched to their limits. To keep up with the growing number of animals, we’re working to transform our unfinished basement into three new animal care rooms. These spaces will include:

• A waterfowl quarantine area: We are the only rehab facility in Virginia that treats healthy orphaned waterfowl for long-term care. We admit roughly 100 orphaned ducklings and goslings annually!
• A raccoon quarantine area: Rockfish is one of the few rehab centers in the state that cares for and releases raccoons, treating over 50 raccoons each year. 
• A raptor quiet room: Providing a peaceful starting point for highest-stress patients, like birds of prey, to begin healing. 

 With the help of another nonprofit (Building Goodness Foundation), we have developed plans and an estimated budget to build out our indoor space. We are now working to raise $35,000 to be ready for next season's babies!

One thing that hasn’t changed in 20 years is that we still receive no state or federal funding for our lifesaving work. We are deeply grateful to our community of supporters for generously contributing to the Sanctuary and helping all the animals we care for. Thank you all, and we wish you a very Happy New Year! 

Links:

• RWS Website