The Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary located in Bowie, MD is open 365 days a year to provide medical treatment to sick or injured wildlife and hand-rearing care to orphaned wildlife...all free of charge! Their goal is to provide free medical care to those wild animals in need and then return them to the wild, where they belong.

History and Mission

In 1980, a young woman found an injured baby robin in her backyard. She contacted a number of people and groups seeking help for the tiny bird, but had difficulty finding assistance. Shortly thereafter she decided that a rehabilitation center for wildlife was needed in Maryland. With this thought in mind she formed a private, non-profit organization in the State of Maryland open 365 days a year providing hand-rearing to orphaned wildlife, and state-of-the-art free medical treatment to return sick and injured wildlife to health, and ultimately back into the wild.

In keeping with its original mission of caring for needy wildlife and promoting public education, the Sanctuary annually provides assistance to over 10,000 wildlife patients from throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and beyond.

Current patients at the Sanctuary facility in Bowie, Maryland, include a wide range of native wildlife in various stages of preparation for return to the wild. Common wildlife patients are Great Blue Herons, White Tailed Deer, hawks, owls, orphaned squirrels and rabbits, Osprey, Canada Geese, ducks and on occasion, threatened species such as a Bald Eagle or a Peregrine Falcon. Several selected non-releasable wildlife patients are housed in public display areas in the front of the facility. Public tours are given on the second Saturday of each month, at a cost of $5 per person. Pre-registration is required.

The Sanctuary also offers classes in wildlife rehabilitation; varied volunteer opportunities for adult and youth groups; and public information programs. Please contact Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary at 301-390-7011 for information on any of these projects, and further suggestions on how you can get involved in wildlife and environmental protection.

Wildlife Hotline

In the event a wild animal requires assistance, the CWS can be reached at:

Some of the young animals you might encounter may be in need of human care due to injury or parental loss. However most are neither orphaned nor injured. The guidelines maintained by the CWS should help you determine if a wild animal needs help. If you have found an injured, orphaned, or sick animal, visit their list to find out what to do.

Wildlife Hotline Guidelines

Volunteer Program

Hundreds of volunteers work with CWS each year to help our organization provide the best care for wild animals and the best public education programs that we possibly can. We hope you will offer your time and talents to help CWS remain one of the country's leading wildlife rehabilitation centers.

Approximately 500 volunteers -- including volunteer staff and consulting veterinarians, student interns, trained wildlife rehabilitators, and concerned citizens -- offer support to the Sanctuary through donations of time and goods. We welcome your support.

CWS also offers classes in wildlife rehabilitation; varied volunteer opportunities for adults and youth groups; public information programs and a National Oiled Wildlife Response Team. Print the application, fill it in and mail to the address on the bottom of the form to become a volunteer.

Benefits of being a CWS volunteer!

• Subscription to our monthly volunteer newsletter, "The Volunteer voice".
• Discounts in our sanctuary gift shop (after 2 months of service).
• Free admission for your family to sanctuary education programs.
• Educational seminars each month related to wildlife rehabilitation, and the workings of a wildlife sanctuary.
• Annual volunteer picnic/dinner.
• "Hands on" experience and knowledge in your area of interest.
• Interaction with people sharing similar interests.
• The opportunity to participate in helping Maryland's native wildlife.
• Access to our wildlife library and species file system.
• A deep sense of pride and satisfaction that comes from helping and giving to others.

Volunteer Opportunities

You may volunteer in one of our departments or on an as-needed basis for special events. We ask that animal care volunteers and certain other volunteers in the education and office departments volunteer on a regular basis (3-5 hours per week) in order to meet specific training needs. We do, however, have many other opportunities for volunteers who need a more flexible schedule. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Click here for a complete list of Volunteer Opportunities

How to Become a Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary Volunteer!

Simply fill out the Volunteer Application and return it to the address listed at the bottom of the form! Please call our office or send us an e-mail if you have any questions. 301-390-7011 E-mail: cheswild@erols.com

Donate Your Car, Truck, Motorcycle, or Boat & Trailer

The CWS is seeking donations of cars, trucks, motorcycles, or boat and trailer combinations to provide income for the wildlife hospital. They can only accept vehicles from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The vehicles can be in non-running condition, but special limitations apply. So, instead of going through the trouble and expense of selling your used vehicle -- call CWS at 1-800-909-8908 and find out more about the benefits of donating it. You can also visit their Donation web page at the URL: http://www.homestead.com/ChesapeakeWildlife/cardonation.html.

The Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary can be visited on the Internet the URL http://www.chesapeakewildlife.org.