Wildlife Rescue Center

What Wildlife Rescue Center does

Wildlife Rescue Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered at 1128 New Ballwin Road in Ballwin, Missouri. It is the largest professional wildlife rehabilitation organization in Missouri and is permitted by both the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to treat and release native Missouri wildlife. The organization's core service is the rehabilitation and release of injured, sick, and orphaned mammals, reptiles, amphibians, water birds, and game birds, with annual capacity for up to 3,600 animal admissions and a peak daily census exceeding 500 animals during the May–June baby season.

Operationally, the center runs a phone-based wildlife emergency intake line handling approximately 20,000 calls per year, seasonal walk-in admissions during posted intake hours, a Release Site Program connecting rehabilitated animals with private-property habitats, and structured 12–16 week internship and volunteer pipelines that collectively deliver roughly 17,000 volunteer hours annually. Educational outreach includes the Nature Tots Storybook Hour for families with young children and free downloadable squirrel release box plans. Referral partnerships with Wild Bird Rehabilitation and World Bird Sanctuary route non-treated species (songbirds, birds of prey) to specialized providers.

The business model is entirely donation-driven with no local, state, or federal funding. Revenue streams include one-time and recurring individual donations, the Chances for Critters Fund (100% directed to animal care), legacy/bequest giving, gift of stock, IRA qualified charitable distributions, in-kind wish list donations through Amazon and Walmart registries, and a corporate matching gifts program powered by Double the Donation. Donation processing tiers are preset at $35, $75, $150, $500, and $1,000. The center does not charge for rehabilitation services and operates through a small professional staff supported by an extensive volunteer and intern base.

Name

Wildlife Rescue Center

Legal name

Wildlife Rescue Center

Website

https://mowildlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wildlife Rescue Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization in Ballwin, Missouri, treating 75+ native species and admitting up to 3,600 animals annually. It serves the Greater St. Louis region through volunteer-powered, donation-funded rehabilitation, release, and public education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ballwin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Single and monthly donations from individuals supporting wildlife rehabilitation. The Wildlife Rescue Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives no local, state, or federal funding and relies entirely on donations.
2. Chances for Critters Fund: Designated fund where 100% of donations directly support animal care operations.
3. Legacy Giving/Bequests: Planned giving through wills and other estate planning instruments allowing donors to designate the center as a beneficiary.
4. Gift of Stock: Donors can transfer stock directly to the Wildlife Rescue Center for immediate impact.
5. IRA Required Minimum Distribution: Qualifying charitable distributions from IRAs that can satisfy Required Minimum Distributions and may be excluded from taxable income.
6. Donation Processing: Online donation portal accepting one-time and recurring donations with options for monthly, quarterly, and annual frequencies. Donation amounts include preset tiers of $35, $75, $150, $500, and $1,000.
7. In-Kind Donations via Wish Lists: Amazon and Walmart wish lists where donors can send most-needed supplies directly to the center including paper towels, bleach, detergent, soap, and medical supplies.
8. Matching Gifts Program: Corporate matching gift program where employers match employee donations, potentially doubling or tripling the impact of contributions.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

test

Product overview

Wildlife Rescue Center is a single-service nonprofit organization providing wildlife rehabilitation for native Missouri wildlife. The organization offers a unified set of services centered on wildlife medical treatment, rehabilitation, and release, complemented by educational programs (Nature Tots Storybook Hour), training opportunities (Internship and Volunteer programs), and community engagement through the Release Site Program. Fundraising operations support the mission through donation services including the Chances for Critters Fund, Matching Gifts Program, and Wish Lists. The Squirrel Box Plans provide public education on rehabilitation practices. The organization operates with no public API or technology product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 3,600 wild animals rehabilitated and released annually
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research: Nonprofit wildlife (largely avian) rehabilitation and research center in the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable scientific nonprofit model with rehabilitation, research, and education components.
• World Bird Sanctuary: St. Louis-based organization handling birds of prey (hawks, owls, eagles), explicitly named as a referral partner. Comparable nonprofit model serving a complementary species niche in the same region.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: One of the oldest wildlife hospitals/rehabilitation centers in the U.S., combining wildlife rehab with public education. Operates at similar scale with comparable mission and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Peace River Wildlife Center: Florida nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and education center. Comparable donor-funded rehab model with hospital, education outreach, and volunteer base.
• WildCare: Established nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center in the Bay Area treating injured and orphaned native wildlife. Comparable full-service rehab model with hospital, education programs, and volunteer infrastructure.
• Wildlife Center of Virginia: Teaching hospital for wildlife and conservation medicine in Waynesboro, VA. Comparable full-service rehabilitation model with strong educational mission and similar species scope.
• PAWS Wildlife Center: Washington-state nonprofit operating a wildlife rehabilitation center treating injured native wildlife alongside animal sanctuary work. Comparable nonprofit rehab model with education and volunteer programs.
• Carolina Wildlife Center: Regional nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center serving the Carolinas with hospital, education, and volunteer programs. Highly comparable operating model and scale to Wildlife Rescue Center.
• Wild Bird Rehabilitation: St. Louis-area wildlife rehabilitation organization explicitly named as a referral partner for songbirds and small wild birds that Wildlife Rescue Center cannot treat. Closest geographic and operational peer.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association: Industry-wide professional association for wildlife rehabilitators. Sets standards and hosts the symposium Wildlife Rescue Center leadership has presented at; provides industry context but is not a service competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wildlifecenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/mowildlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildlife-rescue-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Wildlife Rescue Center