Wildlife Assistance
Wildlife includes our native songbirds, birds of prey, waterfowl, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) along with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) require state and federal permits for rehabilitating injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. We are not permitted wildlife rehabbers and are unable to take in wildlife. Please use the resources below to find a permitted rehabber or assistance with a wildlife issue.
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Animal Help Now provides a comprehensive and updated directory of local wildlife rehabbers. However, there are very few in our area. And the few that are active are inundated with requests for help and may be at capacity at any time. East TN Wildlife Rehabilitation Council is a nonprofit that can advise and may have additional contacts.
Wildlife rehabbers have to abide by strict regulations and guidelines issued by the USFWS and TWRA. They do not receive any government funding and are not paid for their services. Most rely on donations from the public in order to provide this ongoing and essential public service. Please give them time to respond as they are handling multiple emergencies daily while caring for their in-house patients.
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Wildlife rehabbers will only take in (if not at capacity) wildlife that is truly in need of help. Often young wild animals are mistaken for being orphaned, and wildlife rehabbers will advise on how to determine if mom or the parents are still around. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to do what is best for the wild animal which may mean leaving the animal in their habitat. Rehabbers and the following sites below can give you tips of how to coexist with wildlife and prevent potential conflicts.
Bats
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/#bats
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/how-protect-bats-or-get-rid-bats-your-house
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/bats-neighbors
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Beavers
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/benefits-beavers-and-how-safely-keep-them-away
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Black Bears
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/bears-neighbors
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-black-bears
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Chipmunks
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-chipmunks
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Coyotes
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-coyotes
https://projectcoyote.org/act/downloadable-resources/
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Crows
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/benefits-beavers-and-how-safely-keep-them-away
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Deer - Conflict
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/deer-neighbors
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Deer - Fawns
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/healthy-young-wildlife/if-you-find-baby-deer
https://swvawildlifecenter.org/fawn-faqs/
https://spca.bc.ca/news/prevent-fawn-napping/
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/how-help-orphaned-or-injured-baby-wild-animals#deer
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Foxes
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-foxes
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Geese
https://projectcoyote.org/act/downloadable-resources/
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Groundhogs
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-groundhogs-woodchucks
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/woodchucks-neighbors
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Mice
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-wild-mice
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Opossum
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/opossums/
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-opossums
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Rabbits
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-wild-rabbits
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Raccoons
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/#raccoons
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-raccoons
https://www.facebook.com/411WildlifeSolutions/
​https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/raccoons-neighbors
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Rats
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/#rodents
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-rats-living-walls-or-yards
https://raptorsarethesolution.org/
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Skunks
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/skunks-neighbors
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-skunks
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/skunks/
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Snakes
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/critter-facts-control/snakes/
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/what-do-about-snakes
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/snakes-neighbors
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Squirrels
https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/managing-wildlife-conflicts-and-habitats/squirrels-neighbors
​https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/safely-get-rid-squirrels-attic-keep-them-away
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Other Species
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/humane-solutions-wildlife-problems
https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/
https://www.mspca.org/programs-resources/wildlife-resources/
https://ahnow.org/resources.php#wildlifeconflict2
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How to prevent birds from colliding into windows
https://abcbirds.org/get-involved/bird-smart-%20glass/
​https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/protect-birds-stopping-them-flying-windows
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reducing-bird-collisions-with-buildings.pdf
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Other sources
Additional resources for wildlife assistance
Report a wildlife crime to USFWS