Coastal Carolina Wildlife Rehab

09/14/2026

Wildlife isn’t invading our space—we’ve expanded into theirs. 🦝💚

Raccoons are intelligent, adaptable animals simply trying to find food, shelter, and safety. When one appears near your home, please choose patience and humane solutions instead of fear or harm.

Secure trash cans, avoid leaving pet food outdoors, and give wildlife plenty of space. With understanding and compassion, we can peacefully share our communities with the animals who were here long before us.

Every life deserves kindness and respect. 🌿

WilmingtonNC

09/14/2026

U.S. NEWS: The annual program is aimed at stopping the spread of raccoon rabies. Details in the comments ⬇️

09/12/2026

Thank you 🙏!

I hope this post is received in the spirit in which it is intended: with love, and as a call in—not a callout.

I recently saw a post today from Hampstead Wildlife Rehabilitation that appeared to criticize rescues for turning animals away. Even when that isn’t the intention, messaging like that can leave the public believing that any rescue that doesn’t accept every animal, every time is doing something wrong.

For those who don’t know me, I’m also a therapist by day. I’ve worked in mental health for more than two decades, and over the past year I’ve been helping develop support groups with a research team specifically for animal welfare workers. I volunteer my time weekly for this due to the staggering rates of PTSD from trauma, burnout, compassion fatigue and turnover.

So when I see the capacity limits that I PREACH to my bottle baby trainees framed as a lack of compassion or commitment to rescue and rehab, I feel like I have to say something.

Because this mentality breaks rescuers.

Public shaming, impossible expectations, and criticizing others in our own community add more weight on the backs of all of us who already are carrying far too much. Folks, we have lost members of our community to su***de. Did we learn NOTHING from Mikaylas death?

Folks, I’m going to say what I tell everyone at my bebe training each year: You do not get a badge of honor for setting yourself on fire to keep everyone else warm.

There is no gold star for destroying your health, never sleeping, maxing out your credit cards, or sacrificing every part of your own life and missing every moment you’ll never get back with your children. Taking every animal does NOT make someone a better rescuer, as saying no is the most responsible and humane decision a person can make sometimes.

When you continually take animals beyond your emotional, physical, financial, or logistical capacity something usually gives. And most of the time, that’s you. You burn out and become resentful. You crash. And after you recover – that is IF you recover – you may leave rescue all together.

If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a hundred times.

One line in particular bothered me: “I’m not shaming anyone who does, for various reasons beyond their control.”

Why should rescuers have to justify having limits? Why should anyone have to prove that their reason for protecting their own health, finances, family, or time is acceptable?

We should not be shaming other rescuers. Period. Point blank. End.

That mean girl mentality does not save more animals. It further fractures a community, and drives good folks out of doing the work in the long run.

I’m incredibly grateful that, within our local cat community, people may not always agree (or sometimes even particularly like one another) but when it matters, they work together and do right by the animals. We understand that when one rescue collapses, it hurts all of us.

This is not a callout. It is a call in.

I ask all of you in rehabbers, rescues, advocates, and supporters, to think carefully about the messages, and the pressure, we put on good folks doing the hard work.

09/10/2026

With all the recent storms, we are getting calls from all over on squirrels. With the volume coming in, and animals in our care, it’s extremely important to always try and reunite with mom, especially now. We always want to help but we are nearing close to being at capacity.

Should you find any baby squirrels on the ground please try and help them and you can follow the below steps:

1. MOST IMPORTANT: DO NOT FEED or OFFER WATER/FLUIDS! They require specific formulas and diets PLUS there could be an injury and improper feeding can lead to aspiration.

2. Message us to let us know what is going on and if you are able to follow the additional steps. We will work to help you through everything and keep a check on the situation. When nests get destroyed or fall, moms will immediately try to find an abandoned nest or build another but it may take a few hours. Often they have more than one nest ready for instances such as damage/predators and just need time and quiet to move the babies.

3. Gather any squirrels found off the ground, Generally you may find 1-4. Get an empty box, container, etc (as pictured) and tap a couple of holes in the bottom (this helps any moisture drainage)

4. Place any nest remnants and/or additional pine straw (only if either are dry) OR fold a few old rags, or fleece blanket to help keep it warm. Try to avoid towels, as toenails/teeth can get hung.

5. You may hear the baby squeal at a high pitch. This is a call for mom. Mamas will come back for their babies!!!

6. Depending any storm severity, once the sun goes down, definitely let us know if you haven’t already. Since temperatures will be dropping really low tonight, they will not be safe left outside. If we are able, we will meet with you tonight or coordinate tomorrow. If they have to be kept overnight, again, they will be fine with no food or water til we get them. Just keep them in a warm, quiet spot.

09/10/2026

09/09/2026

Coastal Carolina Wildlife Rehab is up and running and have gone to the Squirrels mainly however we do have a few Opossum Joeys and some Bunnies!
Over the last weekend ( 3 day span of time ) due to the fact we were at maximum capacity and did refer to other wildlife rehabbers, we made some other arrangements ( transferring some to other rehabbers and releasing some of the older ones )!!
CCWR has been around since the late 90’s when I was working at Petsmart Veterinary Services aka Banfield Veterinary Services!
There’s some false information being posted about CCWR being closed which is not true, but is being because we did referred a few callers to other rehab centers, we did let everyone know why we were unable to help them do to maximum capacity!
NC Wildlife Commission do have regulation’s and guidelines on enclosures and how the animals are treated, housed and etc!
CCWR is committed to all the critters that come into our care! It’s not a competition or a race! It’s about providing the best care for the critters, giving them a better chance of survival then eventually being releasing them back into the wild!
Fun fact that CCWR just had an inspection done (August by our NC State Biologist and the new Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer ( meet and greet ) and their findings boiled down to 4 minor recommendation to change!

CCWR does not con-don goosping or bashing other rehabbers!