If they are orphaned, we raise them. If they are sick or injured, we heal them.
Our Mission
We support and advocate for wildlife through:
rehabilitation, education, collaboration and community engagement in order to promote sustainable and healthy ecosystems in Napa County for present and future generations.
Napa Wildlife Rescue (NWR) is the only organization in Napa County that is permitted to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife back to the wild. NWR operates under permits from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. NWR accepts all species of Napa County wildlife that are orphaned, injured or sick, except for some large game animals (e.g. bears, lions, and adult deer). Throughout the year, hundreds of bird, raptor and mammal species are returned to the wild following the specialized care of NWR’s staff and volunteers. Our average number of intakes annually is approximately 1200 patients.
Rehabilitation begins when members of the public inform us of wildlife they believe to be in distress and needing help. Hawkline operators assess the situation remotely by species, behavior, and visible evidence of injuries. Sometimes the instruction is to leave animals where they are when they are actually exhibiting normal behavior (whether it seems so to humans or not). Other times we dispatch rescuers or instruct the finder how to handle the animal for transport to our clinic. After rehabilitative care, healthy animals are released back into their native habitats in accordance with species-specific release criteria.
In addition to our rehabilitation efforts, NWR has grown significantly in our school and community outreach in the last 3 years. These programs are aimed at:
Promoting the Hawkline (707-224-4295) and NWR as the places to go when help is needed
Attracting new volunteers
Fostering wonder and love for wildlife, particularly in the schools, which we hope will develop into lasting support for Napa’s wildlife community
History
Napa Wildlife Rescue was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit corporation under the direction of local veterinarian Shirley Harmon. Napa Wildlife Rescue is licensed through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to possess and provide temporary care for sick, orphaned, or injured California wildlife pursuant to Section 679, Title 14, Code of Regulations (CCR). Additionally, we are permitted through the US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Division to rehabilitate migratory birds.