Animal Updates & Case Number Inquiries
Thank you for helping our local wildlife.
We understand wanting to know what happens to an animal you brought to Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center. Please read this page before calling for a case update.
The same few people answering case inquiries are also providing hands-on care to our patients.
Please help us protect time for patient care: keep case inquiries to a minimum, avoid repeated checks, and keep any update call brief.
Checking a case means a staff member must stop what they are doing, go to the office, and look up the animal’s record on the computer.
One inquiry may seem like a small request. With thousands of patients, those requests can add up to thousands of interruptions for a small team. Update calls also occupy phone lines needed by people seeking help for injured and orphaned wildlife.
If you call, please have your case number ready. Patient care and urgent calls take priority, so an update may not be available immediately.
Your concern brought this animal to care. Your patience helps us continue that care.
What happens after I bring an animal to you?
The animal receives a medical examination by licensed wildlife rehabilitation professionals to determine its condition and needs. From there, care may include medical treatment, feeding, and rehabilitation.
Our goal is to return the animal to its natural habitat, able to survive on its own. Throughout its time with us, the animal’s welfare comes first.
What should I expect from an update?
An update is a brief report on the animal’s status. Rehabilitation can take time, and there may be little new information between inquiries.
Some animals arrive with serious injuries or illnesses that are not apparent when they are found. Their condition can also change during treatment. Although release is our goal, unfortunately, not every animal can recover. Prompt, humane care remains our priority in every case.
What if I have found another animal that needs help?
Please call (267) 416-9453 before taking action or bringing an animal to us. Calls about animals needing help are different from case status inquiries, and we need to keep our phone lines available for them.
How can I support the animal’s care?
We do not charge people who bring wildlife to us. Donations make that care possible.
Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center receives no government funding. Your support helps provide food, medicine, supplies, and the professional staff our patients depend on.
If you are able to give, thank you. You have already helped by bringing an animal to care.
