If you happen to find a mammal in need of rescue please carefully collect as much information as you can (species if you know it other wise a description, location, nature of the injury, etc) and give us a call or text at 813-598-5926. As cute as these furry animals may be, they require specialized care and can be dangerous if not handled properly. Please do not try to keep them yourself. It is important that they are given to a permitted rehabber who can provide them with the care they need.
Gopher Tortoises are a keystone species and play a very important role in our ecosystem. If you happen to find one that is injured you are allowed to contain it and transport it to permitted rehabber. We can be reached by call or text at 813-598-5926 and we will provide you with further direction and/or send a volunteer to meet you to pick up the tortoise. Please do not place the tortoise in water as they are terrestrial by nature and are not adapt for the water.
You may NOT however move a tortoise that is simply in an inconvenient location. If you have any questions or concerns about how to deal with a gopher tortoise you may also call the Florida Wildlife Commission directly at *FWC.
No matter what the bird (shore bird, raptor, song bird, dove, etc) they are FEDERALLY protected and you should contact a PERMITTED rehabilitation organization. If you happen to find a bird in need of rescue please carefully collect as much information as you can (species if you know it other wise a description, location, nature of the injury, etc) and give us a call or text at 813-598-5926.
The first thing you would need to do is determine if it may be orphaned. Often times as baby birds become fledglings they begin to venture out of the nest which is completely natural and they are not necessarily in danger or in need of rescue. You can refer to our blog post Baby Bird 9-1-1 for more information on how to determine if the bird is in need of rescue. Of course if the bird is clearly injured or in need or rescue do not hesitate to call us at 813-598-5926.
If you want to learn more about wildlife you can go to
Although our facility is not open to the public, you can still see wildlife at:
Yes, it is absolutely tax deductible. This is because Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife is a 501c3 non-profit organization registered with the IRS. If you donate through PayPal or another web service you should receive an email receipt. If you donate in another way we are happy to provide you with one.
You can donate items from the wish list by mailing them to 12932 Royal George Ave Odessa, Fl 33556. You can also donate items or a percentage of any purchase by going to https://smile.amazon.com/ and selecting Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife as your charity. Every time you make a purchase using the Amazon Smile Program it will donate a percentage of your purchases to Owl's Nest.
Some owl's nest products are available through our adoption program. We also publish a yearly calendar with the cutest of our rescue photos. Call or email us to ask about the calendar and other Owl's Nest Products. You can also purchase a Limited Edition Ollie Otter Tank by Animals Anonymous Apparel.
A sponsor is a group, company, or individual who donates $100.00 or more to Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Check out our sponsor page for more information.
The Florida Wildlife Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services both have a process in place to verify that rehabilitators are knowledgeable, experienced, and capable of caring for wildlife. In order to receive a permit each agency required that applicants prove their expertise through a series of screenings that include proof of hands on supervised experience, a knowledge based exam, veterinarian endorsement, property inspection and more. It is vital for the survival of the animals that they are able to quickly receive the care they need.
Anyone who is responding either as a rehabber or on their behalf is required to carry a copy of their permit. If they are dealing with a mammal or reptile they should be able to show you a copy of their state permit which would include the Florida Wildlife Commission seal on the top left hand corner. If the animal is a bird they would have a copy of a federal permit issued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. If they are a rehabber their name will be printed on the permit. If they are a transporter you can always ask the permitted rehabber who they are sending on their behalf. That person will still have a copy of the permit but would also be able to produce a photo ID as well to verify they are the person who should be taking possession.
Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife is based in Odessa, Fl. However, in order to keep our overhead minimal so that our funds can be used on animal care and due to the nature of what we do at this time we have elected to work out of our homes. As many of our cases are critical care and/or babies they often times need around the clock attention and keeping them close to us allows us to provide that care for them. So we do not allow visitors, sorry, but if you need a physical address to ship a donation it can be mailed to 12932 Royal George Ave Odessa, Fl 33556. We are currently in the process of moving to a new facility and hope to be up and running there soon.
Simply answered, you can’t. Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife is 100% volunteer run. Not a single person in our organization collects a pay check. If you are still interested in working (volunteering) with us you can fill out the volunteer application.
Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife has a few wonderful sponsors. These are:
If you would like to become a sponsor please give us a call at (813) 598-5926.
You can always call Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) to find a licensed rescue / rehabilitation facility in your area. We also have neighboring and cooperating rescues. These are:
Unfortunately, we are kept busy with wildlife so do not rescue domestic animals. There are several agencies that do though. You can call:
Wildlife Drop Off Hours 9a -6p
Facility Not Open to the Public
18707 Rustic Woods Trail,
Odessa, FL 33556
owlsnestsanctuaryforwildlife@gmail.com
