Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary

What Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary does

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization founded in 2003 by Toni O'Neil in Hubert, Onslow County, North Carolina. Its core service is the rescue, medical care, rehabilitation, and release of orphaned or injured wild animals, with clinical specialization across small mammals, songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and reptiles. The organization supplements rehabilitation with permanent sanctuary for non-releasable animals and adoption placement of suitable domestic animals when capacity allows. Operating hours are 9 AM to 6 PM daily, and the sanctuary has reported over 1,650 animal admissions in the current year despite being closed to casual visitors pending a USDA Class C Exhibitors Permit.

The business model is donation-led rather than transactional. Revenue sources include individual one-time and recurring donations through a PayPal fundraising page, corporate sponsorships across four tiers (Opossum $250+, Owl $500+, Falcon $750+, Eagle $1,000+), foundation grants (most notably inclusion in the Avangrid Foundation Wildlife Rehabilitation Program), in-kind gifts via an Amazon Wish List, and ancillary income of $35 per court-ordered community service verification letter. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation services are provided to the public free of charge. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on local outreach, volunteer recruitment, educational programs for schools, youth groups, civic organizations, and libraries, plus word-of-mouth referrals from community members encountering injured wildlife.

Beyond rescue and rehab, the organization operates a structured Learning Center and internship program (full-time 6 weeks, part-time 240 hours over 10 weeks, and live-in options) that delivers hands-on training and certificate pathways, in partnership with the Animal Behavior Institute where Toni O'Neil serves as instructor. Educational offerings also include on-site field trips, off-site Wildlife Encounters at schools, daycares, churches, and community events, and Scout badge programs aligned where applicable with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Headcount is reported in the 1-10 range, anchored by the founder, two staff with wildlife biology degrees (Belle Marshall, Leah Doane), a long-term staff member promoted from the intern pipeline, an apprentice rehabilitator, a lead volunteer, and a Board Vice President. Marketing channels are organic: the Squarespace website, social media (Facebook), email newsletter, community presentations, and event-based outreach. Institutional credibility assets include GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a Charity Navigator rating, both in 2024.

Name

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary

Legal name

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary

Website

https://possumwoodacres.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 in Hubert, North Carolina, that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned or injured wild animals across coastal NC, supported by donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and educational programs for schools and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (1152), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAIAC

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAGAIAD

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAGAIAH

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Wildlife rescue care
• Animal sanctuary services
• Wildlife education programs
• Wildlife rehabilitation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hubert

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals supporting wildlife rehabilitation mission. Operates via PayPal fundraising platform.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship program ranging from $250 (Opossum Level) to $1,000+ (Eagle Level) with varying benefits including logo placement, business contact information, and promotional materials.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations supporting wildlife rehabilitation efforts, medical equipment, and care infrastructure.
4. Community Service Program: Administrative fee of $35 for court-ordered community service verification letters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit center that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned or injured wild animals, specializing in small mammals, songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and reptiles. It complements rehabilitation with curriculum-aligned educational programs, a Learning Center for hands-on rehabilitator training, a wildlife rehabilitation internship and certification program, and a permanent home for non-releasable animals. Services to the public are provided at no charge, and operations are funded through donations, tiered corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and limited community-service administrative fees.

Product overview

Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center offering a unified set of services centered on rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing orphaned or injured wild animals back into their native populations. The core product is Wildlife Rehabilitation Services, supported by educational programs including field trips, Wildlife Encounters, and Scout Programs. The sanctuary also operates a Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship for training aspiring rehabilitators, a Learning Center for hands-on certification training, and provides sanctuary to non-releasable animals. Additional offerings include a Volunteer Program, Sponsorship Tiers for community partners, and accepts court-ordered community service. The organization specializes in small mammals, songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and reptiles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildlife Rehabilitation Services Rescue, care, treatment, and release of orphaned or injured wild animals back into their native populations, specializing in small mammals, songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and reptiles. Available at no charge to the general public in coastal North Carolina.
• Educational Programs Curriculum-aligned wildlife, ecology, environment, natural resources, and backyard habitat programs for schools, youth groups, civic groups, and libraries, tailored to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study with STEM presentations available.
• Wildlife Encounters Off-site educational experiences that bring the sanctuary's wildlife education animals directly to schools, daycares, churches, civic organizations, and community events for up-close encounters.
• Field Trips at the Sanctuary Guided on-site tours at the Hubert, NC sanctuary providing education on resident wildlife with hands-on learning experiences for visiting groups.
• Scout Programs Badge-earning programs for scouts to work with wildlife, care for animals, and complete conservation projects at the sanctuary.
• Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship Training program for individuals 18+ providing hands-on wildlife rehabilitation experience at the sanctuary. Offered full-time (40 hours/week, 6 weeks), part-time (240 hours over 10 weeks), and live-in (housing provided) with a certificate upon completion.
• Learning Center Training facility providing hands-on rehabilitation experience so new rehabilitators can earn the mandatory hours of experience and training required for various state and federal wildlife rehabilitation permits and licenses.
• Non-Releasable Animal Sanctuary Permanent home for non-releasable wildlife animals that cannot be returned to the wild, including animals used as education ambassadors.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Tiered annual sponsorship program for businesses at four levels — Opossum ($250+), Owl ($500+), Falcon ($750+), and Eagle ($1,000+) — offering escalating logo placement, web links, business contact info, social feed mentions, and inclusion on promotional materials.
• Community Service Verification Administrative service providing court-ordered community service verification letters for a $35 fee to individuals completing community service hours at the sanctuary.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Animal Behavior InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABI partners with Possumwood Acres for the wildlife rehabilitation certificate program. Toni O'Neil serves as an instructor for the program offered through ABI, and assists with the internship program at Possumwood Acres. Located at 4711 Hope Valley Road Suite 4F-332 Durham, NC 27707.
• Webb Mini StorageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sponsor at Owl Level ($500+) providing storage support for sanctuary operations. Located at 910-915-8027, Hubert, NC.
• Island Pet Veterinary HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterinary partner providing medical care for wildlife patients. Phone: 252.702.8299, website: islandpetvetservices.com
• Coastal Carolina NeuropsychiatricminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOwl Level sponsor ($500+), located at 200 Tarpon Trail, Jacksonville, NC 28546. Phone: 910.938.1114
• Big Mikes Home Improvement and RepairminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal contractor sponsor, located at 312 Hubert Blvd. Hubert, NC 28539. Phone: (252) 503-6868
• JOEMC (Rodent Pro)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium quality frozen animal foods supplier and sponsor. Website: rodentpro.com

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research: Mid-Atlantic non-profit wildlife rehabilitation and oil spill response center providing medical care and release of wild birds and small mammals; comparable operations scale, volunteer model, and donor/sponsor funding mix.
• Center for Wildlife (Cape Cod): Non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center in New England serving as a regional resource for injured wildlife and conservation education; directly comparable intake, volunteer, and educational programming model.
• Carolina Wildlife Center: Non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organization serving the Carolinas with rescue, treatment, and education programming; comparable scope, donor-funded model, and educational community outreach.
• WildCare (San Rafael, CA): Non-profit wildlife hospital and education center combining rehabilitation services with public education; closely mirrors the rescue-rehab-release plus community education model.
• Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter: Non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center serving coastal North Carolina; directly overlaps with Possumwood Acres in target species, geographic region, and rehabilitation-to-release mission, including injured/orphaned native wildlife.

Broad incumbents

• PAWS Wildlife Center: Established multi-state non-profit operating a dedicated wildlife rehabilitation center; comparable rescue-to-release services and educational programming at a larger operational scale.
• The Raptor Center (University of Minnesota): University-affiliated wildlife clinic specializing in raptor rehabilitation, research, and education; broader scope with academic backing but overlaps on raptor care and ambassador-animal education.
• Audubon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: Affiliated with a larger nature institute, providing wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education; broader institutional umbrella with overlapping wildlife care and educational programming.
• Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital: Large established non-profit wildlife hospital in California providing rehabilitation and education; comparable mission but with significantly greater scale and program breadth.

Emerging players

• Hawks Aloft: Non-profit focused on raptor conservation and rehabilitation in the Southwest with strong education component; smaller-scale operation with overlapping species-specific rehabilitation and outreach emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PossumwoodAcresWildlife
• Xx.com/PossumwoodAcres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/possumwood-acres-wildlife-sanctuary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary