Ohio Wildlife Center

What Ohio Wildlife Center does

Ohio Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1984 and headquartered on a 20-acre parcel in Powell, Ohio, where it operates two facilities: the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (hospital and animal admissions) at 6245 Cook Rd, and the Education Center at 9000 Dublin Rd. Its core product is wildlife rehabilitation — medical and supportive care for injured, orphaned, and ill native Ohio wildlife (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians), with an annual throughput of nearly 9,000 patients. Ohio state law prohibits charging fees for patient care, so the rehabilitation mission is entirely donation-funded; the organization explicitly receives no operational support from local, state, or federal tax funding. A Category II Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit confers special permissions for endangered species, fawns, and rabies-vector species, which underpins a regulatory moat over smaller rehabbers.

The Center's secondary product surface is structured wildlife education, anchored by 60+ permanent animal ambassadors used in on-site programs (Wildlife Encounter and Tour, School Field Trip, Scout Troop, Donation-Based Tour), off-site outreach (Wildlife Encounter, Educational Display, Lecture), summer day camps in four age-tiered formats (Owlets 3–5, WildCare Jr. 6–8, WildCare 9–11, Wild Academy 12–16), and venue-based consumer offerings including children's birthday parties in the historic Bonner Barn and facility rentals for events of up to 75 guests. Operationally, a small paid staff of roughly nine named managers plus seasonal hires is supported by over 200 volunteers, interns, and work groups. Distribution is local/regional across Central Ohio, with no global footprint claim.

The revenue model is a hybrid of (i) charitable contributions — individual donations, memorial/tribute gifts, monthly giving, matching gifts, Amazon Wishlist in-kind, Kroger Community Awards (code 80439), EarthShare Ohio workplace giving, and RoundUp app micro-donations; and (ii) program fees from education, camps, birthday parties, and facility rentals priced on a unit basis ($100–$450 per program, $185–$350 per camp, $300 base for a birthday party, $25–$1,000 for animal sponsorships). The donor stack runs on Blackbaud, communications on Constant Contact, volunteer scheduling on Volgistics, camp registration on CampDoc, and event notifications on Google Calendar. The most significant operational change of the past two years is the December 1, 2025 consolidation of the hospital onto the Powell campus, alongside the February 2024 appointment of Heather Tuttle as Executive Director following the passing of founder Dr. Don Burton.

Name

Ohio Wildlife Center

Legal name

Ohio Wildlife Center

Website

https://ohiowildlifecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ohio Wildlife Center is a Powell, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that, since 1984, has operated Ohio's largest wildlife rehabilitation hospital treating nearly 9,000 native animal patients annually, supplemented by structured education programs, summer camps, birthday parties, and facility rentals funded entirely through donations and program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Wildlife education programs
• Nature summer camps
• Wildlife hospital care
• Animal ambassador programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Powell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Gifts: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Ohio Wildlife Center relies entirely on private donations and gifts to provide its services and programs. The Center receives no operational support from any local, state or federal government tax funding.
2. Program Fees: Fees collected for educational programs, birthday parties, facility rentals, and summer camps provide revenue for operations.
3. Corporate Giving Programs: Monthly giving, matching gifts, Amazon Wishlist donations, Kroger Community Awards, EarthShare Ohio workplace giving, and RoundUp app donations.
4. Memorial and Tribute Gifts: Donations made in memory or tribute of loved ones, with funds supporting medications, specialized diets, orphan formulas, habitats, and vet care for wildlife patients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ohio Wildlife Center operates Ohio's largest wildlife rehabilitation hospital, providing medical care and rehabilitation for injured, orphaned, and ill native wildlife with the goal of returning them to the wild. The Center also runs an Education Center that delivers on-site and off-site wildlife education programs, summer day camps, scout and school field trips, children's birthday parties, and facility rentals at its 20-acre Powell, Ohio campus. Funding comes entirely from donations, animal sponsorships, memorial gifts, and program fees.

Product overview

Ohio Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering wildlife rehabilitation and education services. The core offering is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (state's largest), providing medical care for injured, orphaned, and ill native wildlife. Education programs include on-site visits at the Education Center, off-site 'We Come To You' presentations, school field trips, scout programs, and summer day camps (Owlets, WildCare Jr., WildCare, and Wild Academy). Additional revenue programs include Children's Birthday Parties in the Bonner Barn, Facility Rentals for events, and animal sponsorship/memorial donation programs. The organization operates on a 20-acre campus in Powell, Ohio with two locations: Rehabilitation Center at 6245 Cook Rd and Education Center at 9000 Dublin Rd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Hospital)
• We Come To You Programs Off-site educational programs that bring live animal ambassadors to schools, organizations, and events throughout the Central Ohio region. Includes Wildlife Encounter presentations (45–60 minutes, starting at $320), Educational Displays (up to 2 hours), and Lectures (approximately 45 minutes, starting at $100) by conservation liaison Rebecca Rose. Additional mileage and after-hours fees may apply.
• You Come To Us Programs On-site educational programs at the Education Center in Powell, Ohio. Includes Wildlife Encounter and Tour (1 hour, $150 for 1–20 guests, $200 for 21–35), Scout Troop Program (1.5 hours, $170 for 1–20 guests, with $50 after-hours staffing fee), School Field Trip Program (1.5 hours, tiered $250–$450 for 20–100 guests), and Donation-Based Tour (45 minutes, up to 5 guests, no cost with donations appreciated).
• Summer Day Camps Wildlife-based nature day camps for children ages 3–16 at the Bonner Barn education campus in Powell, Ohio. Programs include Owlets Camp (ages 3–5, $185/camper), WildCare Jr. Camps (ages 6–8, $350/camper), WildCare Camps (ages 9–11, $340/camper), and Wild Academy Camp (ages 12–16, $330/camper). Optional add-ons include Enrichment Excitement ($100, +30 min) and Animal Art Demonstration & Painting ($50, +15 min). Registration managed through CampDoc.
• Children's Birthday Parties Nature-themed birthday party experience for children held in the climate-controlled Bonner Barn at the Center. Package priced at $300 for 1.5 hours accommodating up to 25 guests, including a 30-minute live animal ambassador program with two animals and a guided tour. Extra guests add-on at $50 each; extra time at $50 per 30 minutes. A 15% discount was offered during a construction period.
• Facility Rental (Bonner Barn) Rental of the historic 1891 Bonner Barn on the Center's 20-acre wooded property in Powell, Ohio. Available for private events including graduation parties, celebrations of life, family reunions, weddings, and corporate retreats, accommodating up to 75 guests.
• Public Events Open-to-the-public community events held at the Center's Powell campus, including monthly Wild Story Time, Second Sunday open houses, Enrichment Extravaganza, Back to the Wild, Howloween, and the Beautiful Ohio Lecture Series. Events are listed on the website calendar with Google Calendar, iCalendar, and Outlook subscription support.
• Memorial and Tribute Donations Charitable donation program allowing supporters to make memorial or tribute gifts in honor of loved ones, with all contributions funding wildlife patient care including medications, specialized diets, orphan formulas, habitats, and veterinary care.
• Support An Animal Sponsorship Tiered animal sponsorship program supporting orphaned wildlife patients. Tiers include Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (~$25), Eastern Gray Squirrel (~$50), Songbird (~$75), Virginia Opossum (~$250), Striped Skunk (~$500), Owls and Hawks (~$750), and Fox Kit (~$1,000), with each tier covering species-specific care needs such as formula, specialized diets, vaccinations, deworming, and diagnostic X-rays.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 9,000 wildlife patients treated annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Aviary: Pittsburgh-based nonprofit aviary and wildlife education facility offering animal ambassador programs, education, and conservation work. Directly comparable in nonprofit animal-ambassador education model; Ohio Wildlife Center's Volunteer Manager previously worked there.
• Liberty Wildlife: Arizona-based nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation, education, and conservation organization using animal ambassadors for programming. Comparable as a large nonprofit combining rehab with public education.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: California-based nonprofit combining wildlife rehabilitation, hospital services, and public education with animal ambassadors — a structural peer in mission and revenue mix.
• Tufts Wildlife Clinic: University-affiliated wildlife hospital providing medical care, rehabilitation, and education. Comparable in clinical focus on wildlife medicine and public-facing wildlife services.
• Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation: Texas wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and education nonprofit operating a similar model of medical care, ambassador animals, and educational programming. Comparable in mission and operational structure; Ohio Wildlife Center's Operational Director apprenticed there.
• Back To The Wild: Ohio-based wildlife rehabilitation organization (Castalia, OH) that provides rehab, education, and release services. Directly comparable as a state-level rehab peer; Ohio Wildlife Center's Operational Director previously spent 8 years there.

Broad incumbents

• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Regional Ohio zoo with wildlife education programs, animal ambassadors, and conservation work. Operates an adjacent model of public-facing wildlife education and native species conservation.
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Regional Ohio zoological park with native wildlife education and conservation programming. Overlaps with Ohio Wildlife Center on native-species education in Ohio.
• Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Major regional zoological institution in Central Ohio offering wildlife education, ambassador animals, camps, and conservation programming. Comparable education and community-engagement model, but at much larger scale and with a broader species collection.

Emerging players

• Center for Science and Industry (COSI): Columbus science center that previously hosted an Ohio Wildlife Center orphan bunny program and Living Collection Specialist role. Comparable as a hands-on science/nature education venue with live animal programming in Central Ohio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCluH8MmCplsn3IYoXCIjuXg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioWildlifeCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-wildlife-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ohio Wildlife Center