Connecting Animals in Crisis with Life-Saving Care

Our wildlife rescue team provides emergency transport and coordination of care for injured Virginia wildlife—because every creature deserves a fighting chance.

Who We Are

Heart of Piedmont Wildlife Rescue (HOPW) is a passionate, volunteer-driven nonprofit...

…founded after witnessing the overwhelming pressure Virginia’s rehabilitators face every day. As a group of dedicated conservationists, we’re determined to bridge the gap between native species in crisis and the expert care they urgently need.

Our Mission

We believe it’s our moral obligation to help wildlife suffering from:

habitat loss
pollution
animal attacks
vehicle collisions
other relentless threats that put their lives at risk

Our mission is to serve as compassionate stewards of Virginia’s wildlife through:

Timely Rescues

Safe Transport

Community Education

Preserving Biodiversity

We work hard to deliver essential assistance to native creatures in crisis because every animal plays an important role in a fragile ecosystem.

Protecting Virginia’s Wildlife Starts With Us

Learn How We Transport Injured Animals to Safety

Every second counts. The faster we get orphaned or injured wildlife to treatment, the better their chance of survival. When we receive a call, our team responds swiftly to assess the situation and arrange transportation.

We’ve built trusted partnerships with the Wildlife Center of Virginia and rehabilitators who meet rigorous standards, ensuring every animal receives high-quality care. Not all stories have a happy ending, but all creatures should have the opportunity to heal and return home..

About Animal Transport

Volunteer to Be a Voice for Wildlife in Need

We’re always in need of volunteers. During baby season—the busiest time of the year—our best rehabbers are too busy transporting orphaned and injured wildlife to handle logistics. During these overwhelming times, dedicated responders are called upon to organize rescues, coordinate pickups, and provide critical transport to regional hospitals and rehabilitators.

Contribute your time and join a community of passionate animal advocates giving injured and orphaned wildlife their best shot at survival.

Volunteer Opportunities

Donate to Fund Life-Saving Rescues

Emergency wildlife rescue is costly. Intake and week one of injured eagle rehab can cost $3,000. Longer stays may push beyond $10,000. Songbird rehabbers need 20,000 mealworms/week to feed hatchlings during baby season—roughly $800. And rehab for a single raccoon? $650 before vaccines.

As a volunteer-run nonprofit, Heart of Piedmont can’t survive without your help. 100% of contributions go toward food, supplies, transport, and care that make survival possible. Even small gifts help Virginia’s species thrive.

Donate Today

Support Educational Outreach That Helps Save Lives

As Virginia wildlife transporters, we’ve seen firsthand how a lack of resources and education leads to preventable injuries and deaths. Many well-meaning people unknowingly harm wildlife through improper handling and habitat destruction.

Our community engagement programs, park partnerships, and educational events teach Virginians how to coexist with wildlife and protect our natural ecosystems. These efforts help build a community that understands wildlife behavior and safeguards the animals that share our home.

Wildlife Resources

Found Injured or Orphaned Wildlife in Need of Help?

Here’s how to initiate a rescue:

1. Contact

Text 804-491-9311 with your location, details, and photos/videos. Our team strives to respond to hotline messages within 15 minutes, but we may be busy transporting animals or assisting with other rescues. We’ll reach out as soon as possible to assess the situation and offer guidance on next steps.

2. Assessment

Our hotline coordinator will assess the situation to determine if rescue and/or transport is necessary.

3. Pickup

We’ll guide you through the safe containment of the animal and arrange for pickup.

4. Transport

Our advocates will transport and deliver the animal to the most appropriate hospital or local rehabilitator.

Voices of Wildlife Rescue

Stories from Volunteers, Rehabbers, & Community Members Who Have Witnessed Our Impact

This is just placeholder text. Don’t be alarmed, this is just here to fill up space since your finalized copy isn’t ready yet.

Subscribe & Stay Connected

Join our community of conservation supporters and never miss a story or update.

Subscribe to Heart of Piedmont Wildlife Rescue’s newsletter for insider updates on recent rescues, news on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and wildlife rescue tips. Every edition brings you closer to the work we do and the lives we save.

You Can Help Save Virginia’s Native Wildlife

Donate or Volunteer to Support Life-Saving Rescue Work

Every day, injured and orphaned animals are discovered throughout our community. Support from compassionate people like you makes it possible for vulnerable wildlife to recover and return
home where they belong.

Your gift of time, money, or resources helps Heart of Piedmont Wildlife Rescue provide lifesaving treatment, expand educational outreach programs, and preserve the future of Virginia’s native species. Together, we can save lives and inspire the community to coexist with wildlife.