Werling Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center

Werling Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center We do not typically take other birds.
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Werling Wildlife Rehabilitation takes in injured and orphaned opossums, rabbits, skunks, turtles, muskrats, groundhogs, squirrels, foxes, otters, beavers, & raptors (birds of prey such as hawks, owls, vultures). We take in over 800 animals yearly, predominately mammals that eat ticks and poison ivy (we're definitely thankful for those animals). You can support our rescue efforts in a variety of wa

ys:

PayPal: paypal.me/werlingwildlife
Venmo: Kristen Werling
Facebook Pay: Kristen Werling

Call our vet and help us pay off our balance: Goshen Animal Clinic (574) 533-0535

Shop our Amazon wish list: https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OP7O9YYOAI6T/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

Baby bunny release! Both of these kiddos were caught by a cat or dog, which is sadly the most common reason they come in...
06/07/2026

Baby bunny release! Both of these kiddos were caught by a cat or dog, which is sadly the most common reason they come into care. Cat bites can be deadly for wildlife, so antibiotics need to be administered immediately. Both of these bunnies responded to treatment, healed up from their wounds, and were ready to go back to the wild (this time in a location with fewer domestic predators). Good luck, little ones! ✌️❤️🐇

When someone tells me to chew with my mouth closed. 🤣
06/07/2026

When someone tells me to chew with my mouth closed. 🤣

Well this one is bizzare. If you keep a wild animal as an illegal pet, oftentimes the DNR steps in to confiscate that an...
06/06/2026

Well this one is bizzare. If you keep a wild animal as an illegal pet, oftentimes the DNR steps in to confiscate that animal. Sometimes it is euthanized and sometimes it goes to a rehabber. This painted turtle lived at a hording house for almost 7 years in a tank filled with dirt because they thought he was a box turtle until the DNR got involved and confiscated. He's cearly not a box turtle, which is a land turtle. Painted turtles are aquatic turtles and live mostly in the water!

Here's the weirdest thing about this: the turtle's nails have been trimmed. In the wild, many male aquatic turtles have naturally long front claws used for courtship, climbing, and digging. They will wear their claws down naturally as they use them. Even in captivity, it's rare to need a trim - it would only be necessary if they are so long they are tripping on them. But these nails are trimmed nearly all the way down, leaving this turtle without the ability to shred his food, climb a log to bask in the sun, or impress a lady. He's been debilitated. 😥

It's gong to be a LONG time before his nails regrow and we can evaluate him for release. For now, he'll have easy food served in his tank since he belongs in the water. 💦🐢🌊

Tiny Tail has had a rough time - we don't know what caused her arm to be traumatically amputated, but she has been runni...
06/06/2026

Tiny Tail has had a rough time - we don't know what caused her arm to be traumatically amputated, but she has been running around for weeks with a massive, swollen, infected stump. That lead to being susceptible to mange mites, struggling to feed herself... what a tough life! Kari watched her struggling for weeks as the wound got worse and she left little blood stamps everywhere, until she was finally able to catch Tiny Tail and bring her in to care. Today, this little squirrel came home from the vet after amputation surgery, and she is very feisty!

Why would we put resources into a squirrel? Squirrels are responsible for planting millions of trees each year. They are a major source of food for hawks, they disperse seeds in their p**p, and most important of all: they are living beings that matter. Every animal has its place and purpose, even if it's not an animal that we like.

Tiny Tail proved she is a fighter by surviving for weeks without the use of her arm, so we knew we wanted to try surgery instead of going straight to euthanasia like some might do. She gets around just fine (she will not be our first amputee squirrel to be released) and the mange can be healed over time too. While her condition is guarded, I'm hopeful about her.

The picture of her leg on intake is pretty graphic, so I'll put it in the comments along with the bill from her surgery. If you'd like to contribute to her surgery cost, you can donate using any of the ways below:

🐿️ Venmo: http://venmo.com/werling-wildlife

🥜 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAL7SFZFK8WR8

🐿️ Cashapp: $WerlingWildlife

🥜 Or call the vet directly and make a payment on our account: Goshen Animal Clinic (574)-533-0535

FOUND: Russian Tortoise with a massive beak overgrowth (possibly missing for a long time then - it should take 1.5-2 yrs...
06/05/2026

FOUND: Russian Tortoise with a massive beak overgrowth (possibly missing for a long time then - it should take 1.5-2 yrs for it to grow this long and out of control). Found in New Haven off of Werling Road (not associated with us, sadly) and Moeller Road.

Text us if he's yours! He's definitely going to need a vet trip for beak trimming and parasite testing. We'll keep him safe for now and see if we can get him to eat and drink despite the growth.

260-223-0852

9 opossum joeys, found 50 miles apart, are here for the same reason: their moms were killed on purpose. Both moms were c...
06/05/2026

9 opossum joeys, found 50 miles apart, are here for the same reason: their moms were killed on purpose.

Both moms were caught in live traps. Both were shot in the head.

Why? Because they existed. Because they weren't wanted. Because their lives had no value.

I suppose we can be thankful they felt bad after finding out she had joeys in her pouch to at least send us a message, but feeling sorry doesn't bring their moms backs. 💔

All 9 joeys are orphaned now for a senseless cause. All 9 had to be picked up by transporters, because the ones who took their moms away had family dinners to attend instead of taking the orphans they created to get help.

But also: all 9 are safe now. ❤️

I'll never be their mom, but I'm sure as hell going to fight for them and love them as if I am. Here, their lives matter more to me than the humans who made them orphans. Here, they will grow big and strong and be protected from the scary world a bit longer. Here, they WILL be told daily how beautiful and perfect and smart and strong they are.

One day, karma will come for those who trap and shoot animals. Maybe it will come in the form of a venomous snake that would have been eaten by that opossum biting their ankle. Maybe it will be an abundance of roadkill stinking up the place or tick populations out of control and latching on to humans. I'd like to think there is some justice for them, otherwise I will fall into a pit of despair.

Welcome to your home for the next couple of months, my precious, perfect 'possums.

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I am currently caring for about 100 orphaned opossum joeys (and at least 120 other animals as well). You can help support the care of these 9 as they grow by donating here:

🐀 Venmo: http://venmo.com/werling-wildlife

🐀 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAL7SFZFK8WR8

🐀 Cashapp: $WerlingWildlife

We are a non-profit organization run entirely by donations and volunteers, so you can feel good knowing every dollar goes right to them. Thank you for helping us be the voice for the voiceless. ❤️

UPDATE: Transporter en route! Thank you, Molly!!🚨⚠️🚑 URGENT TRANSPORT NEEDED: Mentone (Kosciusko County) to Decatur (1.5...
06/04/2026

UPDATE: Transporter en route! Thank you, Molly!!

🚨⚠️🚑 URGENT TRANSPORT NEEDED: Mentone (Kosciusko County) to Decatur (1.5 hrs one way). Can anyone help these tiny babies whose mom was hit by a car? 🚑⚠️🚨

TEXT ME: 260-223-0852

I stole her from her parents, and I still couldn't save her life. After all of her siblings had died from a mysterious p...
06/03/2026

I stole her from her parents, and I still couldn't save her life. After all of her siblings had died from a mysterious poison in the water and she was seen barely clinging to life, I knew her best chance was to take her into care. Mom and dad didn't even stop me - it's like they understood what was happening. Over the past couple of days, all of their cygnets had died one by one in that foul water. There was nothing they could do for their little one.

I'm fairly nose blind, which is a product of working in close proximity of more than 200 animals every day, but I could smell that pond before I could even see it. Scattered along the shoreline were the bodies of baby swans, ducklings, fish, and even a robin. All lifeless. All reeking of garbage.

When you pay hefty HOA fees in a nicer part of town, you expect the pond to be kept clean. Instead, this one has been a swamp of death.
As we walked around the entire pond, we noticed trash, dead bodies, thick scum, and a rancid, rotten smell. We fished out metal hooks, plastic chunks, and canvas bags.

On Sunday night, I left with a sick cygnet, a bag of bodies, and an immense saddness.

Yesterday a representative of the DNR came to collect the bodies. When 6 or more animals die in one location, testing needs to be done to find out why, and we easily met that threshhold. The DNR employee then went to collect samples of the pond's water only to find the HOA had actually sent in a crew to quickly clean the water and collect trash. The water is now an unnatural blue and the smell is gone. Despite that, the DNR employee found several more bodies of animals that passed away between Sunday night and Tuesday afternoon. They will be tested to see what caused this massive die off.

I'm happy to hear the HOA is working to fix the problem. I'm concerned about not knowing what they dumped in to do so on such a short time frame (will such a large amount of chemicals result in more death?), and definitely suspicious of the way they handled the citizen's requests for help and understanding. I'm dismayed to know that more bodies were found yesterday.

I don't have the answers, just a whole lot of saddness for the lives lost.

Rest in peace cygnet #1, cygnet #2, cygnet #3, cygnet #4, cygnet #5, cygnet #6, duckling #1, duckling #2, duckling #3, duckling #4, fish #1, fish #2, fish #3, robin #1, and all of the other animals whose bodies we were not able to recover. 💔

🦢 Venmo: http://venmo.com/werling-wildlife

🦢 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAL7SFZFK8WR8

🦢 Cashapp: $WerlingWildlife

WE HAVE THE TREES! We have a TON of native trees - persimmon, white oak, and chokecherry - that we would love for you t...
06/01/2026

WE HAVE THE TREES!

We have a TON of native trees - persimmon, white oak, and chokecherry - that we would love for you to adopt and plant to help our native wildlife. **These are available for a free will donation!**

We planted a bunch here, but now it's time for you to plant one at your house. Let's make a lasting impact for our wildlife together by literally planting the future.

Come and grow with us! 🌱

🌳🌳🌳ADOPT A TREE (or several)!🌳🌳🌳

- Text me when you're coming for your trees and what kind you want (any day this week after 4pm or Saturday/Sunday after 12pm).
- Donate to our Grow With Us campaign:
https://givebutter.com/c/grow-with-us-gala-4vnonm

05/31/2026

9 of our many baby raccoons graduated to outdoor living with Screech, our resident foster dad raccoon. These kits have already received the first of their 4 vaccines necessary for release back to the wild. Once they complete their distemper/parvo combination vaccine series, they'll get a rabies vaccine. Did you know that we haven't had a case of rabies in a raccoon in Indiana in more than 40 years? We've had horses and goats get rabies more recently than that! 🤯

These young raccoons are still on formula along with dozens of other kits, so we're running a bit low. A new bucket costs $252, and this would be our third one of raccoon formula this year. Combined with their vaccines (at a cost of $67 per raccoon) multiplied by the 50 raccoons we currently have.. and you can see why raccoons are our most expensive animals to rehab! Donate for their formula and vaccines here:

🦝 Venmo: http://venmo.com/werling-wildlife

🦝 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAL7SFZFK8WR8

🦝 Cashapp: $WerlingWildlife

Address

10495 NW Winchester Road
Fort Wayne, IN
46733

Website

https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/orphaned-and-injured-animals/wi

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