Over 4,000 injured, sick, and orphaned native animals are admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital each year. Most of those injuries stem from interactions that involve humans — including car strikes, domestic pet attacks, window collisions, fishing line and hook injuries, gunshots, and toxicosis.
our work
Providing medical care to injured wildlife has been a priority of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida since 1979. Caring citizens rescue bobcats, deer, pelicans, herons, gopher tortoises, and many other species of native animals and drop them off at the Conservancy for treatment. The wildlife rehabilitation team and a group of dedicated volunteers provide supportive care with the goal of releasing as many “patients” as possible back to their natural habitats.
The von Arx Wildlife Hospital is permitted through USFWS and FWC to provide rehabilitative care to native mammals, reptiles, and birds. We are not able to care for marine line, invasive or non-native species, or domestic animals. Please review our FAQs to learn more about animals we do treat, and who you can contact about animals we do not treat.
We do not provide patient updates. Please review our policy here.
Hours of Operation
The von Arx Wildlife Hospital is open from 8AM to 6PM for animal dropoff seven days a week, 365 days a year. This includes weekends and holidays. The phone line is open from 8AM to 5PM seven days a week, 365 days a year at (239) 262-CARE (2273).
