Pine Tree Hill Wildlife

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Camden, South Carolina

Native Wildlife

Sideshow Freak

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Years ago, we did a lot of wildlife and exotic animal education programs. We loved it. Educating the public about the wildlife in their backyards was our favorite thing to do.  We loved seeing the people in our community and people loved seeing us, but mostly people loved seeing the unusual variety of animals we shared.

After a few years of doing this, especially when we were doing multiple programs each month, we noticed life in the public was not good for our animals. After these events many of our animals would show signs of stress.  It only took a few times of seeing the negative impact that public display had on the animals, and we said no more.

For the record, we never used any of our native wildlife rehab patients for programs. It is our job to protect releasable wildlife from human imprinting, habituation, or desensitization to people.  We usually shared some of our exotics and native non-releasable wildlife, like our King Snake named Pretzel or our giant tortoises.  Folks loved our Tarantulas, Iguanas and Bearded Dragons.  Our farm turkey, Buttercup, was quite the celebrity, too.

We stepped away from programs that required animal exhibition about 4 years ago. It hurt us a lot.  Our youth education programs were free and not a source of any income, but it was a way for the public to have one-on-one encounters with their local rescue. The negative impact for us was we stopped receiving donations since we were not in the public eye as much.  Ouch!

We learned that our main responsibility is the health and welfare of the animals in our care.  Most of the animals that come to us, both wild and exotic, have been through unimaginable abuse and neglect.  They came to us to heal, not to be sideshow freaks at an education program and certainly not to be used as an income resource.

We still enjoy the occasional local outing and will even bring our very social, crowd-loving tortoises to visit.  We have been to schools and career days to talk about what we do, and to community helper day at our local elementary school to educate students about what to do if you find wildlife.  We still have our yearly “Let’s Get Snakey” snake identification class, which we can also present to your business or organization.  But we just cannot be irresponsible stewards of the animals who trust us to provide a secure, stable environment for the rest of their lives.  And we cannot risk the chances for native wildlife in our care to not be able to be released back into the wild when rehabilitation is completed.

All wildlife (even most exotic pets) are high stress animals.  There is no such thing as TRULY domesticating or taming a wild or exotic animal.  Some species become human imprinted or human habituated, but wild and exotic animals NEVER lose their natural instincts.  They just use the ability to trust those instincts enough to use them.

Not all zoos, petting zoos, or animal education facilities are BAD.  There are a lot of great zoos and animal sanctuaries to visit in South Carolina.  When you do visit these places, native wildlife on display should only be non-releasable wildlife.  Releasable wildlife cannot under any circumstances, be human habituated, imprinted, or desensitized to people.  This means non-releasable animals should never cohabitate with releasable wild animals.  We believe in this so strongly at our rescue that once an animal is being weaned and ready for release, we do not even talk around them and a few weeks before release they rarely see us.  We limit the number of different people a wild animal sees while in care.  We need releasable wild animals to NOT associate people with food, security, or companionship.  We need releasable wildlife to have a natural fear of people and pets.

Finally, if you attend events or facilities that have wild, exotic, or even farm animals on display, please know that no matter how docile and friendly these animals appear, a person, place, or even a smell could cause stress.  Ask the animal handler before you try to touch or feed an animal.  Some facilities may already have instructions in place at enclosures detailing what is allowed.  Respect an animal’s personal space.  Social distancing isn’t just for humans.

Bella, one of our dedicated volunteers
and supporters, at a 4-H presentation.

Where Have All The Rescues Gone?

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South Carolina has 46 counties.  Last count, there are only 30 counties with local wildlife rescues. Many rescues accept animals from multiple counties.

Folks tell us all the time that there are not enough wildlife rescues in South Carolina.  We do not disagree.  Ironically there are not enough donors and supporters of wildlife rescues for more of us to survive. 

Wildlife rescues serve a much-needed purpose to communities.  Who do you call when you find orphaned, injured, or displaced wildlife? If you really want to make sure the animal you found receives the absolute best care from people who are educated to care for that species; you will call your most local (reputable) wildlife rescue. *

In South Carolina there are no state or federal agencies that do what we do.  All wildlife rescues are independent organizations that do not receive state or federal funding.  Most of us are nonprofits, but you do not have to be a nonprofit to be a good rescue.  Nonprofit status does not benefit the organization so much as it does the donors to the organization.  Nonprofit status does not legitimize an organization either.

Our rescue is a nonprofit organization.  We are also an all-volunteer organization.  This means no one receives a salary so all donations received go directly to the care of the animals at the rescue.  This also means that we pay out of pocket for any expenses not covered by donations.  And there are plenty of expenses.  Nonprofits do not receive anything for free.  We pay for vet care, feed, supplies, and transportation. Sometimes we might get a discount. Most of the time we do not.

Most of our volunteers also have jobs in their real life.  We have to…this is how we pay for all of those expenses when donations are low. 

We’re not telling those of you who follow us anything you haven’t heard before…Let us get to the point of this blog post, which is about 50% rant and 50% preaching to the choir.

Last week we had two different callers who drove more than 2 hours from opposite sides of the state to bring us orphaned wildlife they found because they did not have a local rescue in their area.  Both callers were mad because to help the wildlife they found they had to drive to us. Both were angry that we could not just hop in our cars and drive to them. They wanted to help the animals they found, but they were also disappointed that wildlife rescues here aren’t like the ones they see on TV shows?!?!?!?!  One caller actually told us we need to do better.

For wildlife rescues to be successful and sustainable we need community support.  Two years ago our rescue had to limit the species we accept.  Not because we do not have the time or volunteers, but because we do not have the funding to keep supplies on hand for multiple species of wildlife.

Wildlife rescues face a lot of hardships with our biggest one being that we do not have a revenue generating resource.  Our main goal is to keep wildlife wild and be sure it’s capable of survival when rehabilitation is complete.  We cannot have adoption events or charge admission to visitors. Heck, we can’t even have visitors.  We cannot take the wild animals we are rehabbing to events and show them off.  We cannot allow the WILD animals in our care to be human imprinted or habituated. Sadly when the public does not get to have a first hand experience with the animals they tend to NOT donate to us and instead donate to the shelters, sanctuaries, and petting zoos they can visit.

Our second biggest hardship is that folks believe we receive funding from state agencies to do the work we do so people believe there is no need to donate.  Or that their tax money pays us.  We wish!

We help the humans who reach out to us just as much as we help the wildlife brought to us. Our purpose is not only to rehabilitate and keep wildlife wild.  Our purpose is also to help the people who FIND the animals know what to do when they encounter wildlife. 

The moral of the story here is that wildlife rescues are becoming a rarity and the biggest culprit is (as always) funding.  If you have a wildlife rescue in your community, please support them. If you take an animal to a rescue, leave a donation.  Tell other people about how your local wildlife rescue helped you.  Share social media posts, newsletters, websites, and blogs from your local wildlife rescue.  Do something because before long rescues like ours will only be able to do nothing.

*Some species and some situations fall outside of what a wildlife rescue can lawfully handle and require a response from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) or the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC).

A Win for Wildlife in SC

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New Laws Protect Native Turtle/Reptile Species

October 21, 2020 was a great day for wildlife conservation in our state.  Governor Henry McMaster signed into law a bill to protect native reptiles and amphibians from exploitation.  This new law also set regulations for unlawful release of nonnative reptiles which has been an issue for a long time in South Carolina.
Over the last decade South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has seen an increase in the reptile and amphibian trade. Recent high-profile investigations began in SC and brought a lot of attention to the exploitation of native reptiles and amphibians.
According the SCDNR website many of our native species are in high demand in the pet trade and are sold in excess of $1,000 per animal, especially in Asia. South Carolina was one of the only southeastern states with no regulations therefore more collectors harvested from our state.  Acknowledgement of our need for laws to protect wildlife led to the writing and passing into law of ACT 177.

SCDNR has been going above and beyond to educate the public about the new laws.  They recently released a FAQ document to help us understand the changes. Here are the basics you need to know.

What does this new law change for native reptiles and amphibians?
Act 177 protects native turtles, establishes possession limits, and allows those that exceed possession limits to register their collection for a temporary exemption. It also allows SCDNR to manage native reptiles and amphibians through regulation, as well as making it illegal to release or let escape nonnative wildlife and provides increased penalties for violations. This bill also gives SCDNR the authority to regulate potentially damaging or invasive species.

What is the current regulation when it comes to the sale, transfer and possession of native reptiles and amphibians?
Previously there was little protection or regulation of sale and transfer of native reptiles and amphibians, which led to many wild South Carolina species being targeted for collection, potentially contributing to population declines. Before, all native species could be bought, sold, and possessed in unlimited quantity, except species listed as endangered or threatened in South Carolina.
With the passage of the new law and associated regulations, most native species are protected from wild collection and sale. However, important species in the pet trade, like corn snakes reproduced in captivity, can continue to be traded. Regulations identify species that may be bought and sold without harm to wild populations. Species that are not state listed, or otherwise regulated may continue to be possessed.

Does this change anything for nonnative species?
Before this bill, there was no restriction or penalty for the release or escape of most nonnative wildlife in South Carolina. This bill makes that illegal and establishes a penalty for violations.

What is that penalty?
This is a misdemeanor offense and upon conviction is subject to a fine of up to $2,500 and/or imprisonment of up to a year.

What are some of the more common nonnative species people encounter in the pet trade?
Red-Eared Sliders are your typical pet sore or flea market turtle for sale. Except for a few species, almost any species of snake, turtle, tortoise or amphibians sold in pet stores are considered nonnative.  As a good rule, never release any animal that was kept captive.  It most likely lacks the foraging and survival skills needed to survive, it will not be acclimated to the climate, and it could expose wild populations to parasites and disease. You can visit DNR.SC.GOV for a list of what is still allowed.

What are the possession limits now to native turtles?
The following personal possession limits, subject to an aggregate limit of ten, are established:
Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana): 5
River cooter (Pseudemys concinna): 5
Chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia): 5
Eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta): 5
Spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera): 5
Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox): 5
Eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum): 5
Striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii): 5
Common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus): 5
Yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta): 5
Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina): 5
Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina): 2
Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin): 2

A total limit of 10 turtles. The law allows those who exceed these limits to register their animals for a temporary exemption. Prior to the bill, there were no limits on possession of native reptiles and amphibians except species listed as threatened or endangered. Possession of threatened and endangered species still require a permit.

Who needs to register their turtle collection?
Anyone who owns more than the limits listed above.

What if I find a turtle/snake and just want to keep it as a pet?
The way the current laws read, if the species in question is not protected, threatened nor endangered, there is no penalty for keeping a wild caught pet.  We do greatly discourage anyone from taking wildlife and keeping it as a pet.  It is impossible to provide a proper environment and diet for native wildlife in captivity.

What if I find a sick or injured turtle?
If you find a turtle that you believe to be sick or injured you can transport the turtle to a wildlife rescue that is permitted under the new laws.

What rescues are permitted to rehabilitate reptiles and amphibians?
Currently the closest wildlife rescue is Carolina Wildlife Center in Columbia, SC.  Our rescue will need to update our enclosures and intake areas to accommodate the new laws.  We planned to do this last year, but our funding has suffered due to COVID-19.  Our current focus is species for which we are already permitted.  This year we will be one of the only wildlife rescues in operation still permitted for fawns.  Our focus, until more funding can be secured, will be exotic species, small mammals, and fawns.

SCDNR List of Permitted Reptile Rescues

Sources:
Jay Butfiloski, Certified Wildlife Biologist and Furbearer & Alligator Program Coordinator, SCDNR
Andrew Grosse, Herpetologist, SCDNR
Website: DNR.SC.GOV

Questions? Contact Andrew Grosse at herps@dnr.sc.gov

Fawn 101

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Each year the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources sends out a press release reminding the public it is unlawful to take fawns from the wild and raise them. We are asked repeatedly WHY it is unlawful to keep a fawn and what we tell folks has nothing to do with the legality of possessing fawns and everything to do with reasons why fawns should only be cared for by trained wildlife rehabilitators and ONLY IF they truly need to be rescued.
Fawns require a specific diet.  So specific that if a fawn is not fed what its body needs in a specific order it can die.  And so specific that if a fawn is fed the wrong kind of nutrition it will die.  And it will not die right away.  It will die months later as its body starts wasting and painfully shuts down from not getting the specific nutritional needs at the specific time they are needed. We cannot be more specific about a fawn’s specific nutritional needs. That paragraph may have been a little annoying to read, but the NUMBER ONE REASON why captive fawns die is from being fed the wrong formula.
Deer are herd animals.  They learn all their survival skills from other deer.  A deer will not know how to be a deer unless it is raised with other deer.  Fawns can imprint on humans fast.  If you raise a single fawn it will not have the ability to herd with other deer when it gets older. Allowing a fawn to imprint or become human habituated means it can never be released.
Fawns need to be in herds the moment they are born. A lot of folks only intend to keep a fawn for a couple of months “to have the experience of raising one” and then surrender it to us when the fun is over. These fawns have a difficult time learning to herd once they are in our care. Or people intend to keep the fawn forever as a pet, but once it is too big to keep in their backyard, they start looking for somewhere to surrender the animal or even worse, they release the deer believing it will be able to survive on its own.  Fawns that are surrendered after being kept by the owners often refuse to eat on their own or herd with other deer.  Older fawns can stress themselves to death when they are removed from their familiar surroundings. And human imprinted and habituated deer are more likely to be hunted, mistaken for having disease and sometimes approach other people expecting to be fed.
Fawns RARELY need to be rescued.  Walt Disney ruined what we believe about wildlife. Baby birds do not know how to fly before they leave the nest. They have to live on the ground a few days before they learn to fly. Furry animals do not magically clean our homes for us.  Wild animals DO NOT stay with their babies. Let us say this together: WILD ANIMALS DO NOT STAY WITH THEIR BABIES.  It is normal for fawns to be left alone for several hours.  Mom will park her baby and watch from a safe distance.  This is because Mom has a scent that could attract predators and babies do not have a scent.  And mom is very visible while babies have spotted fur to help them blend in with their surroundings.
Stress Kills.  Fawns removed from the wild will often stress to death.  Do not mistake a calm fawn that does not run away as needing help.  Animals have a natural “freeze instinct” that will kick in and prevent the animal from running away.  Stress in deer causes a condition called capture myopathy. Capture myopathy is painful, and recovery is difficult.
It is important to know when to leave Mother Nature alone. Knowing when a wild animal truly needs help can be difficult for most people.  That is where we come in.  We are trained to know when an animal needs to be rescued and we can tell you where to take the animal and how to safely transport an animal to reduce stress and further injury.  Just call us.
Wildlife rescues WILL NOT tell you how to care for a fawn.  Or for any wild animal.  We do not promote wildlife as pets and will not assist anyone who intends to keep a wild animal as a pet.  Because wildlife rescues exist there is NO reason for a person to keep a wild animal as a pet.
Wildlife rescues are not animal shelters. We are not set up to keep animals forever.  We are not here to take a wild animal you can no longer keep. We cannot give medical advice or provide medical care for animals you keep. Our purpose is to rehabilitate wild animals and prepare them for release into the wild BEFORE they become human imprinted or habituated. If a wild animal is brought to us as soon as it is found it has a more than 85% chance of surviving and being released back into its natural habitat when the time is right.  Animals that have been kept are compromised and often have issues we cannot reverse.
Of course, there are obvious reasons to rescue a fawn.  Fawns need rescue if they are found with a dead mother, are alone for more than 24 hours and showing signs of dehydration, have obvious injuries/bleeding, or if they have ants or fly larva on them.  And fawns should only be removed from the wild if you have already contacted a wildlife rescue that has instructed you where to take the fawn. Most wildlife rescues do not pick up. It will be the finder’s responsibility to transport the fawn to a rescue.
CURLED EARS DO NOT MEAN A FAWN IS DEHYDRATED. How do we know? We have plenty of photos and videos of fawns with curled ears with their mothers. Many fawns ear tips will naturally curl back. There are ZERO studies to prove curled ears are a result of dehydration. NEVER, EVER rescue a fawn just because it has curled ear tips. Rescues have several criteria to determine if a fawn should be rescued and we would never recommend removing a fawn just for this reason.

Most predators do not see in color as humans do. Fawns are spotted and blend in almost perfectly with their surroundings.
(Left) Shows what a fawn looks like to people vs (Right) What other wild animals see.
We can see them just fine, but in the wild they blend in perfectly.

How Do You Know?

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Rescue, Shelter, or Sanctuary


How do you know if a rescue is like the crazy ones you see featured in documentaries? How do you know the money you donate is going for the care of the animals?  How do you know if the rescue you are supporting is one of those drama filled organizations with lions, tigers, and bears in their backyards.

The words rescue, shelter, and sanctuary are often used interchangeably, and this can be confusing to the public. Sometimes the misuse of these words is intentional.  There are no legal definitions of these three words in our state so there is no way to gage if an organization is legit by what it calls itself.  Many people are leery of donating to animal-based organizations because they do not want to unintentionally support an organization that is not what they appear to be.

For the sake of simplicity we will use our rescue as the main example here. 
We are a rescue.  We take in animals, wildlife specifically, and rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild as soon as they are ready.  That is our mission.  We keep wildlife wild. We are not a shelter nor a sanctuary.  We do not provide long-term placement for wild species. We do not foster nor adopt wildlife.  Native wildlife that NEEDS long-term care is placed with other permitted facilities who can provide the specific care that species needs.  We cannot allow visitors because wildlife cannot be released if it is human habituated or imprinted.  Most wildlife rescues are home-based to keep the animals from being exposed to multiple people. We rely on other agencies to let you – the public – know we are legit, and our animals receive proper care.

Shelters are usually for domesticated pets or exotic species.  Shelters are a very important part of every community. Shelters are typically a place where people can safely surrender their pets. Shelters may also rescue an animal and provide care until the animal finds a permanent home.

I know.  It’s already a little confusing.  Be patient with me.

Sanctuaries are the places getting the bad publicity at the moment and rightfully so in many cases.  When most of us think of a sanctuary we picture a peaceful, serene place where non-releasable animals -both wild and exotic- can live their lives in habitats that mimic each species natural environment. You may even picture hundreds of acres of land with more than enough room to roam.  Because there is NO LEGAL definition of what a sanctuary is, in most states a sanctuary can be a place that just keeps animals in cages forever.  No minimum amount of land required. They can get nonprofit status.  They can solicit donations. And other than providing adequate shelter, food, and water there are no standards that must be followed.  The key word here is adequate. The word sanctuary gives a false sense of comfort that everything is legit.

How can you tell if a rescue/shelter/sanctuary is legit?  Here are some simple questions to ask.  There are exceptions to rules sometimes but use your judgement and ask more questions if needed.

-Check the nonprofit / 501 C3 status of the organization with the Internal Revenue Service.  In SC nonprofits should also be listed with the Secretary of State as a charitable organization if they are soliciting donations.  You can view the transparency of the organizations by visiting the website for the IRS and SC Secretary of State.  The SOS will even list how much of the organization’s funds are used for the organizations mission.  Keep in mind that it can take up to a year for misuse to be reflected on these sites.

-What does the organization do? Are most of the animals purchased or traded for other species to have on display?  Some rescues and sanctuaries are actually petting zoos in disguise.
Animals on display DOES NOT equal bad intentions.  Some sanctuaries will actually (legally) solicit donations for the animals they keep on display.  The big question is: Were the display animals TRUE rescues or were they purchased from breeders with the intent of being displayed.  If it’s the latter, you should question why these places bring in animals to have on display and then ask YOU for donations to pay for them.

-Is breeding allowed?  Unless the organization has designated conservation status and is permitted to work with threatened and endangered species, the answer should always be NO.  FYI – there are no wildlife rescues in South Carolina that qualify for conservation status.  Sure, we all work towards conservation, but none have conservation status.

-Do they allow public contact with WILD animals that are intended to be released back into the wild?  This should be a no-brainer.  Wild animals being rehabilitated for release should never be part of a petting zoo or display.  Ever.

-Is the organization involved in the community? This is very important.  If an organization needs your support to operate, they should also contribute to the community that supports them in some way.

Not all shelters and sanctuaries allow visitors due to ordinances or safety rules, but if they do you can see for yourself if they are clean, organized, and if the animals are healthy.  I know of a few sanctuaries in our county that are amazing! The bottom line is KNOW what you want to support.  If you want to support a wildlife rescue whose mission is to keep wildlife wild and release rehabilitated wildlife back into its natural habitat (wink, wink) then be sure that is the mission of the organization you choose to support.  If you donate to a shelter that provides care and placement to abandoned, neglected, or homeless pets then be sure that is what they do.  If you are passionate about an animal sanctuary, be sure they meet YOUR definition of the word sanctuary.  All of the above should be community helpers.  None of the above should ever operate for profit or personal gain.

Walt Disney Syndrome

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A consistent problem wildlife rescues face is the public keeping the wild animals they
find instead of seeking help from experienced rehabbers. We have addressed this issue
before, and it is a continuous struggle to educate folks on why it is a bad idea to keep an
animal if you have no experience or knowledge about their needs.

Finders tend to bond quickly to the animals they find. We jokingly call this Walt Disney
Syndrome. We understand the emotional need to save and care for a helpless animal.
What we need the public to understand is wildlife requires special care and sometimes
special permits to even have possession of that animal.

We have had several recent intakes that were kept by the finders for several days before
being surrendered. Many were only surrendered after the animals became ill, most
likely from improper care. We spend a lot of time and funds correcting problems that
could have been prevented if we were contacted when the animals were first found.
Finders have good intentions. Most say they kept the animals because they felt a need
to protect them and did not want them to die. We get that…but in this day and age a
wildlife rehabber is usually just a phone call away. Giving the baby to a rescue ensures
the animal will receive proper care AND will most likely able to be released back into the
wild. We are trained to know what’s best for the species in our care.

Keeping wildlife is a big responsibility. Once the animal imprints or becomes human
habituated releasing it into the wild will not be an option. Most wildlife species learn
how to be wild by growing up with others of its own species. If an animal grows up with
humans, it becomes desensitized to the dangers other humans could pose if its released.

We get countless calls about adult squirrels who were obviously released pets that are
fearless of humans. These animals sometimes get aggressive when people do not feed
them. They do not understand why a new person is not as accommodating as the one
who raised them.

If you choose to keep wildlife, it is yours forever. Although some places advertise they
are wildlife sanctuaries, there are no regulated wildlife sanctuaries in South Carolina
where you can take pet wildlife to live happy and free. Places that claim to be sanctuaries
are not inspected and do not have any regulations to follow that make sure animals
receive proper care. Zoos do not take in native wildlife. Domesticated animal shelters are not
equipped to handle wildlife.

The saddest part is most found wildlife does not need to be rescued. Wild animals do
not stay with their young. Finders react emotionally and pick up fawns or fledgling
birds or a number of other species and then refuse to return them when we explain why
this is the best option.

There are no laws in South Carolina that restrict the public from keeping wildlife*. The lack of laws does not make it right for you to keep an animal that deserves every chance to be released back into its natural habitat.

REMINDERS THIS BABY SEASON
Birds: Baby birds do not know how to fly as soon as they jump from their nests. A baby bird
must fledge the nest and live on the ground for several days. The parents will continue
to care for the baby until it learns to fly. Some birds nest on the ground. A baby bird
does not need to be rescued unless it has had contact with a cat, has obvious injuries or
is covered in ants. Birds cannot be rescued just because you are concerned for their
safety. Songbirds and Birds of Prey are federally protected and can only be kept by
people or organizations who are federally permitted for those species.

Fawns: Deer do not stay with their young. Fawns are “parked” in an area and the
mother watches from a safe distance. You will not see or hear the mother if you
approach the fawn. The fawn will not run away. Fawns are super skinny the first
several weeks of life and people often mistake this for malnourishment. A fawn does not
need to be rescued unless it is found with a dead Doe, has obvious injuries or is laying in
an unnatural (flat not curled up) position. In SC it is unlawful to take and keep a fawn
unless you do so under the guidance of SC DNR or a wildlife rehabber that is permitted
for fawns.

All Species: It is important to remember that all species of wildlife can carry diseases
that could be transmitted to humans and pets. In recent years we have seen increased
numbers of confirmed rabies cases in domesticated animals and wildlife. Huge
outbreaks of distemper in both wild and domesticated animals continue to plague our
state as well. Parasites from wild animals can also be transmitted to people and pets,
too. Do not risk unnecessarily exposing your family or pets.

Wildlife rescues like ours are eager to help. We answer calls each day
and do our best to assist when possible. Our organization is 100% volunteer based and
we do what we do because it is our passion. If you need to contact us, phone or text is
best. We respond to calls not in the order received but by the importance of the call, so
this means details are very important when leaving a message. We are grateful to live in
a community that supports what we do!

*Bears, Fox, and Coyote require a permit issued by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

This function has been disabled for Pine Tree Hill Wildlife.