Wildlife Rehabilitation Program

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Program provides human assistance to ill and injured animals with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.

If you find an animal you believe to be ill, injured or orphaned, please call the Center’s wildlife staff at 440-871-2900 before intervening.

Wildlife intakes of injured animals from the public are offered at no charge. Due to high demand for our services, please anticipate leaving a message for our wildlife specialists who will return your call.

What is wildlife rehabilitation?

Wildlife rehabilitation is the human assistance of ill, injured or orphaned wildlife with the ultimate goal of releasing animals back into the wild. The nonprofit Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in Cuyahoga County and performs wildlife rehabilitation as a free service to the public. The Center is able to display and perform wildlife rehabilitation services under permits from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service and the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Why do we do it?

The Center rehabilitates wildlife to provide humane treatment and hopefully a second chance at life in the wild.

Wildlife rehabilitation is not intended to interfere with the natural life cycle of wild animals. The majority of animals treated by the Center have sustained injuries from unnatural occurrences such as domestic cat attacks, window strikes, car collisions and unnecessary interference with baby wildlife.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is a member of:

Songbird being released into wild