Thunderstorms and floods since May 19 have left the All Things Wild Rehabilitation center between Jarrell and Walburg overflowing with animals.
The rescue took in 482 animals in about a two-week period. Those most affected are animals that live in the ground in dens or high up in trees. Rescues include birds, cottontail rabbits, raccoons, opossums and fawns.
Established in 2012, All Things Wild takes in thousands of injured, orphaned and displaced wild animals each year. The goal is to care for them until they’re ready to be released back into the wild.
Founder and president Helen Laughlin’s calling to help these creatures has been instilled in her since childhood. Upon passing dead animals on the side of the road, she said she would think “there is no one to help it.”
“Dogs and cats have vets, and they have places they can go, and they're mostly well taken care of, but wild animals have nowhere… there's no one to help them. That's what we do,” she said.
Animals are brought to the center by civilians or animal control, and critters can only be released once they’re old and strong enough to survive independently in the wild.
All Things Wild started on a residential property before moving to its current home in 2019. The organization has since outgrown its two acres of leased land, and has been working to secure a larger plot, possibly 5 or 10 acres.
The goal of expansion would be to aid education by creating facilities, more caging for animals, a separate surgery suite and a pond for waterbirds/animals. Land would have to have public road access, septic and electricity. Plus, the organization still needs funding. Without a land donation, it would take around $1 million to achieve this vision.
Animals that can’t be released serve as the nonprofit’s ambassadors, and help with public education and outreach about native creatures. It hosts monthly free family-friendly education classes at the center, and volunteers and ambassadors participate in special events and gatherings like Market Days on the Square.
Fundraisers include a “squirrel’s night out,” silent auctions, an annual Country Brunch and more. While regulated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, the center is not funded by the department and relies primarily on donations from the general public.
More information can be found at www.allthingswildrehab.org.