Tennessee Licensed Animal Rehabilitators

Discover the Right Help for Injured Wildlife

Have you found an injured or orphaned animal in need of help? The best course of action is often to leave it right where you found it. Many young animals that may appear orphaned are just waiting for the mother to return.

However, if the animal is badly injured or the mother has not returned after 48 hours, you can reach out to a licensed Tennessee Wildlife Rehabilitator for help. Remember, it is illegal for unlicensed individuals to offer veterinary care or posses wildlife, as it can be harmful to the animal and people in the household.

In Tennessee, wildlife rehabilitators specialize in specific types of wildlife. To find the right organization to help you, start by identifying the animal you found, and then use the information below to find the right rehabilitator.

Helpful Links

Find a Rehabilitator for Mammals

Note: Wildlife Rehabilitators do not pick animals up. If you find an animal and a rehabilitator can accept the animal, you will need to arrange transportation to deliver the animal to the Wildlife Rehabilitator.

Mammals

Armadillo

In Tennessee, the armadillo is classified as a Class V animal. Class V animals are injurious to the environment.

Only Zoos may possess these animals. No rehabilitation, relocation, or release is allowed.

If the bat has had any contact with a person or domestic animal, you must call your local health dept to report the incident.

STATEWIDE FAWN REHABILITATION: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in TN. The movement of deer is not allowed. If you have found a fawn, you must return the fawn to the place where it was found.

It is a violation of state law to transport and/or relocate deer in TN.

This restriction is an effort to minimize the spread of diseases through human-aided movements and to keep white-tailed deer wild. Part of fawn rehabilitation includes the movement of the animals over potentially large distances to reach rehabilitation facilities. Fawns might also be transported long distances again when being released back into the wild.

These human-aided movements of live animals pose a risk of spread of diseases across the state, including chronic wasting disease (CWD). Chronic wasting disease has been detected in 16 counties in western TN, and TWRA is dedicated to reducing the spread of CWD into new areas. Fawn rehabilitation, although well-intended, can be detrimental to fawn survival once released back into the wild. Rehabilitated fawns show changes in behavior that make them more vulnerable to predators and more habituated to humans.

The resulting low survival rates suggest rehabilitation is not an effective tool for enhancing white-tailed deer populations and the greatest chance of survival in the wild is without human intervention. CHANGES TO STATEWIDE FAWN REHABILITATION It is best to leave fawns alone.

Most likely, the fawn is not actually abandoned but practicing normal white-tailed deer behavior. Female deer hide fawns in covers such as tall grass or brush (even in your yard) to avoid predators while the female deer continues to forage. Keeping herself some distance away from her fawns prevents her scent from attracting predators to the fawns.

Newborn fawns have less odor than mature deer and have spotted fur, both of which help them hide from predators. It is best to leave the fawn where you found it as the doe will return to nurse the fawn when it is safe. If you have picked up the fawn, please return it to the location it was found.

Read More About Deer. Learn More About the Statewide Rehabilitation Restrictions Learn More About CWD Here.

Fox

Anderson County, Clinton TN, Little Ponderosa Zoo, 865-457-5536
Carter County, Elizabethtown TN, Wynnwood Wildlife Foundation, 423-474-6220
Cumberland County, Crossville TN, Highland Veterinary Clinic, 931-484-2614
Davidson County, Joelton TN, Walden’s Puddle, 615-559-9453
Davidson County, Nashville TN, Harmony Wildlife, 615-266-5701
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, Chattanooga Zoo, 423-697-1322
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue, 855-252-9683
Knox County, Corryton TN, Mary Beth Rood, 865-388-5289
Knox County, Knoxville TN, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, 865-974-8387
Rhea County, Dayton TN, Marshall Taylor, DVM, 423-775-4003
Sevier County, Sevierville TN, Mountain Wildlife Rehab, 865-774-1046
Kingsport County, Sullivan TN, Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, 423-229-9447
Wilson County, Mount Juliet TN, Diana Vraney, 615-203-1684

Find a Rehabilitator for Songbirds & Raptors

Birds

Raptors

Bradley County, Charleston TN, David Zeno Beaty, 423-240-8397
Davidson County, Joelton TN, Walden’s Puddle, 615-559-9453
Davidson County, Nashville TN, Harmony Wildlife, 615-266-5701
Franklin County, Tullahoma TN, LouAnn Partington, Ziggy's Tree Wildlife, 931-841-9781
Franklin County, Tullahoma TN, Valerie Russel, 931-273-6629
Grainger County, Washburn TN, Owl Ridge Raptor Center, 865-964-8714
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, Chattanooga Zoo, 423-697-1322
Hamilton County, Signal Mountain TN, Alix Parks, HappiNest Raptor Rescue, 423-847-5757
Henry County, Buchanan TN, Paris Landing State Park, 731-641-4465
Knox County, Knoxville TN, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, 865-974-8387
Lake County, Tiptonville TN, Reelfoot State Park, 731-253-8003
Madison County, Jackson TN, Union University, 731-661-6552
Rhea County, Dayton TN, Marshall Taylor, DVM, 423-775-4003
Sevier County, Kodak TN, American Eagle Foundation, 865-429-0157
Shelby County, Memphis TN, Knox Martin, Mid-South Raptor Center, 901-685-8827
Shelby County, Memphis TN, Memphis Zoo, 901-725-3419
Shelby County, Millington TN, Terry Barnett, DVM, 901-872-0157
Washington County, Johnson City TN, Vanessa Hawley, 423-747-4487
Warren County, McMinnville TN, Gregg Garrison, 931-668-5594

Find a Rehabilitator for Reptiles & Amphibians

Reptiles & Amphibians

Anderson County, Clinton TN, Little Pondarosa Zoo, 865-457-5536
Carter County, Elizabethtown TN, Wynnwood Wildlife Foundation, 423-474-6220
Davidson County, Joelton TN, Walden’s Puddle, 615-559-9453
Davidson County, Nashville TN, Debbie Sykes, Nashville Wildlife Conservation, 615-270-9009
Davidson County, Nashville TN, Devon Blackburn, Little Birds Wildlife Rehabilitation, 615-579-8801
Fentress County, Jamestown TN, Dogwood Animal Hospital, 931-879-1111
Grundy County, Monteagle TN, Carole Manganaro, 931-581-2896
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, Sherry Teas, Camp Wilderness Wildlife, 423-593-3932 (Turtles only)
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, Chattanooga Zoo, 423-697-1322
Hamilton County, Chattanooga TN, For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue, 855-252-9683
Knox County, Knoxville TN, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, 865-974-8387
Marion County, Monteagle TN, Margaret Matens, 931-924-2623
Rutherford County, Murfreesboro TN, Creekwood Veterinary Hospital, 615-956-2525
Rutherford County, Murfreesboro TN, Rachel Singer, City of Murfreesboro, 615-642-3723
Sevier County, Sevierville TN, Tonique Renee, Smokey Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation, 865-440-8100
Shelby County, Collierville TN, Sarah Howard - Out of the Woods - Collierville, 901-492-1007
Shelby County, Memphis TN, Rachel Hannah - Out of the Woods - Frayser, 901-409-6677
Shelby County, Millington TN, Sami Harvey - Out of the Woods - Shelby Forest, 901-340-6534
Sullivan County, Kingsport TN, Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, 423-229-9447
Warren County, McMinnville TN, Gregg Garrison, 931-668-5594
Williamson County, Fairview TN, Chassity Robison, 615-983-1039

Read More About Reptiles Read More About Reptiles/Amphibians.

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For more information about rehabilitators, find a regional office near you here.