North Texas Wildlife Center’s Journey to Help More Animals

by Beth Hobson

The North Texas Wildlife Center (NTXWC)  is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization committed to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of local injured or orphaned wildlife. Originally called the Dallas Wildlife Center, it expanded in 2013 to include more of the North Texas area. 

The Center’s president, Rebecca Hamlin, is an animal lover at heart. Her unique journey is one that many authors should write stories about. After discovering an injured opossum and dropping it off at the NTXWC, it wasn’t long before she began volunteer work. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine a world where three years later she would oversee the entire Center and all its inhabitants. 

Rebecca’s job as the president consists of wearing a variety of different hats throughout her day. A few things that require her daily attention are helping care for the animals, volunteer support, and patient intake. But she feels the most at home when she is allowed to witness an injured animal recover and be released onto a property where it has a second chance at life.

“We try to educate the public as much as we can about the various options that exist when they find an orphan or injured animal. This is my other biggest passion. It allows me to share my knowledge for those like myself that love animals and want to leave a legacy behind in the world.” 

While the NTXWC is not open to the public, they are open 365 days of the year, including in inclement weather. The facility on average cares for over 100 patients a day. Some of these species include foxes, hawks, rabbits, snakes, and turtles.

Since it opened its doors in 2013, the small facility that houses the over 2,500 patients that visit the Center yearly is in desperate need of a larger facility. One that she hopes will provide the North Texas area the ability not only to accommodate the growing number of patients that are treated, but also to give the public a hands-on opportunity to learn about the animals that are found throughout the great state of Texas. 

“We are ready to expand and grow our facility. It would be the one thing that I hope we can accomplish sooner rather than later,” Rebecca said. “We are a nonprofit organization, and as a result we never want to be put in any kind of situation because of our center’s size that we are forced to turn away an injured or orphaned animal. We hope that by continuing to spread the word about our facility and need for donations, that it will allow us to purchase some land to build on soon.”

The upcoming spring season often brings storms into the Texas area, but it also welcomes new life. The NTXWC sees the greatest number of inhabitants because of these two reasons. As a result, this can require the Center and all its full, part time, and volunteer staff to be ready to assist at any given moment. 

Rebecca and the NTXWC will also be starting a fundraiser on March 1 for donations to help with the purchase of things such as formula, blankets, enrichment tools, and other various items that are required for daily use. 

If you or somebody you know is interested in donating, interning, volunteering, working, or dropping off an injured or orphaned animal, please visit the North Texas Wildlife Center’s website at NTXWildlife.org, where you can find links on how to donate, important numbers to call when a wild animal is found, and other things such as upcoming public events..