Second Chance Wildlife Center

What Second Chance Wildlife Center does

Second Chance Wildlife Center (SCWC) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 and headquartered at 26400 Haines Road in Clarksburg, Maryland. The organization provides emergency treatment and long-term rehabilitative care to injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife, with the goal of releasing healthy animals back into the wild. SCWC operates under permits from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in April 2026 became the first and only licensed veterinary hospital exclusively for wildlife in Maryland, enabling advanced medical, surgical, and diagnostic capabilities on site. The organization handles nearly 3,000 animal intakes and approximately 4,000 hotline calls per year, mostly during the March-September Wildlife Baby Season.

SCWC's product surface spans five lines: (1) wildlife rehabilitation and medical care at the licensed hospital; (2) the Education & Engagement Program, launched March 2026, offering fee-based presentations on Maryland wildlife and human-wildlife coexistence; (3) volunteer programs including Animal Care Volunteers, Volunteer Greeters, and Housekeeping Volunteers; (4) a college internship program in rehabilitation husbandry, handling, and species identification; and (5) donation processing via online (etapestry), check, AmazonSmile, workplace giving (CFC #65923, United Way-NCA #8901), Facebook, and legacy bequests. Outreach runs through the scwc.org website, Facebook, Instagram, email newsletters, and community tabling events. The organization does not charge for wildlife rescue or rehabilitation services; revenue is entirely donation- and grant-driven, with a modest earned-revenue stream from educational presentations.

The business is led by President Maureen Smith (joined October 2018 from the Jane Goodall Institute, National Wildlife Federation, and Discovery Communications/Animal Planet) and Clinic Director Hannah Wilson (certified Master Wildlife Rehabilitator, promoted in early 2022). Governance is provided by an 11-member Board of Directors chaired by Kenneth Button. SCWC is independently operated, with no parent company and no venture funding, and holds the highest ratings from Charity Navigator (Four-Star, 2024) and Candid/Guidestar (Platinum, 2024).

Name

Second Chance Wildlife Center

Legal name

Second Chance Wildlife Center, Inc.

Website

https://scwc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Second Chance Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Clarksburg, Maryland, founded in 1995, that rehabilitates injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife at the first licensed veterinary hospital for wildlife in Maryland, serving residents, animal services officers, and community groups statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Wildlife veterinary care
• Wildlife rescue hotline
• Nonprofit wildlife center
• Wildlife education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaithersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on tax-deductible monetary donations from the public to maintain daily animal care operations 365 days a year. Donations accepted online via credit card, on-site, by check, through AmazonSmile, workplace giving programs, and legacy bequests.
2. Educational Presentations and Programs: Fee-based educational presentations delivered on-site at the Clarksburg facility or at community locations including schools, businesses, senior centers, scout troops, and places of worship.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Second Chance Wildlife Center provides emergency treatment and long-term rehabilitative care for injured, ill, and orphaned wild animals at the first and only licensed veterinary hospital exclusively for wildlife in Maryland, with the goal of releasing healthy animals back to nature. The organization complements this core wildlife rehabilitation service with fee-based educational presentations, volunteer and college internship programs, and 24/7 telephone advisory support. Operations are funded entirely by public donations and grants.

Product overview

Second Chance Wildlife Center operates as a single, unified nonprofit organization offering wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary hospital services, complemented by education and community engagement programs. The core offering is wildlife rehabilitation and medical care at their licensed veterinary hospital, supported by education presentations, volunteer programs, and college internships. Donations are accepted through multiple channels including online, check, workplace giving, and AmazonSmile.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildlife Rehabilitation & Medical Care Emergency treatment and long-term rehabilitative care for injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife, providing skilled and compassionate care with the goal of releasing healthy animals back to nature. Delivered through the first and only licensed veterinary hospital exclusively for wildlife in Maryland, with diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and a full-time wildlife veterinarian on staff. Free to the public; funded entirely by donations and grants.
• Education & Engagement Program Fee-based educational presentations delivered on-site at the Clarksburg facility's Education & Meeting Room (up to 16 people) or off-site at schools, businesses, senior centers, scout troops, and places of worship. Led by CJ White, Manager of Education, using feathers, bones, turtle shells, and x-rays to teach about Maryland wildlife species. Pricing is by inquiry.
• Volunteer Programs Volunteer opportunities at the Clarksburg, MD facility, including Animal Care Volunteers, Volunteer Greeters (new in 2026), and Housekeeping Volunteers (new in 2026), supporting wildlife rehabilitation operations and clinic sanitation.
• Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship Program College internship program offering hands-on experience in wildlife rehabilitation, including husbandry for birds, mammals, and reptiles; basic handling and restraint; species identification; animal behavior observation; common injuries and diseases; treatment plans; and release conditioning assessment. Supports 2,700+ animals admitted annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3,000 wild animals rehabilitated and released annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Maryland Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCWC operates under permits issued by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which also provides a referral directory of wildlife rehabilitators across the state for after-hours and species-specific assistance.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCWC operates under permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, enabling the organization to provide care for migratory birds and other federally protected species.
• Montgomery County Animal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty animal services officers bring injured wildlife to SCWC and direct residents to the organization for wildlife emergencies. SCWC refers individuals to county animal services for after-hours assistance.
• AmazonSmilesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazonSmile donation program allowing shoppers to designate Second Chance Wildlife Center as their charity of choice, with Amazon making donations from qualifying purchases.
• Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for connecting residents with appropriate wildlife rehabilitators when SCWC cannot admit certain species, such as rabies vector species.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council: Professional membership organization setting standards and providing training for wildlife rehabilitators. Highly comparable as the certifying/educational body governing the profession SCWC's Master Wildlife Rehabilitators belong to.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation advocacy organization where SCWC President Maureen Smith previously held senior leadership. Comparable in mission alignment (wildlife conservation/coexistence education) but operates at national scale rather than local clinical service delivery.

Others

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global wildlife conservation organization with adjacent mission but no direct clinical rehabilitation services. Functions as an adjacent peer in donor mind-share and conservation advocacy space rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Carolina Wildlife Center: Nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center serving the South Carolina region with similar intake, medical care, and educational presentation offerings. Comparable mission but different regional footprint.
• PA Center for Wildlife: Pennsylvania-based wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit treating native injured and orphaned wildlife. Comparable service model (free intake, hotline, education) but operates in a different Mid-Atlantic geography from SCWC.
• Maryland SPCA: Maryland-based nonprofit animal welfare organization with overlapping geography and donor base. While focused on domestic animals rather than wildlife, it competes for the same charitable dollars and referral pathways in Montgomery County.

Direct peers

• The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota: University-affiliated wildlife rehabilitation and medical facility treating injured raptors and other wildlife with veterinary hospital capabilities. Highly comparable to SCWC in mission, veterinary infrastructure, education programs, and donor-supported nonprofit model.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: California-based wildlife hospital and education center providing rehabilitation and community education. Comparable in combining licensed wildlife veterinary care, public-facing education programs, and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Wildlife Center of Virginia: Statewide nonprofit wildlife hospital providing emergency veterinary care and rehabilitation for native wildlife in Waynesboro, VA. Closest direct comparable in Mid-Atlantic geography, hospital licensing, hotline operations, and education programming.
• Tufts Wildlife Clinic: University-based wildlife veterinary clinic within Tufts Cummings School providing medical care and rehabilitation for native wildlife. Comparable as a teaching-hospital model combining wildlife medicine, internships, and community hotline services.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SCWC.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/SecondChanceWildlifeCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/second-chance-wildlife-center

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Second Chance Wildlife Center