DCHS's Main Shelter and Thrift Stores will be closed to the public on Monday, March 16 due to the winter storm.

Home / Wildlife Center / Ways You Can Help / Other Ways to Help Wildlife

Other Ways to Help

Are you interested in doing more to help wildlife in our community? Check out the list below for some ideas on ways you can help!

Become a Donor

Make a monetary donation to support the care of wild animals in need.

Donate to the Wildlife Center

Donate commonly used items from our Wish List

Donate items from our Amazon Wish List

Collect Items for Patients

Collect natural foods and enrichment for our patients.

Collect earthworms after a rain
Collect and cure black walnuts, acorn and hickory nuts
Collect freshly cut branches for perches and cage enrichment for patients
Collect maple seeds
Collect non-sappy pine cones
Gather duckweed
Dandelion, plantain, and clover leaves

Learn more

Complete Special Projects

Use your special skills to complete a project for wildlife. Before getting started, please contact wildlife@giveshelter.org to confirm the items listed below are currently needed. Needs may change based on season and intake.

Sew fabric visual barriers (cage covers reduce stress for our patients)
Build perches for birds in rehabilitation
Build wooden nest boxes
- Build a squirrel nest box
- Build a flying squirrel nest
- Build a nest box for birds
We currently have enough knitted and crocheted bird nests, but if you would like to donate these nests to other wildlife rehabilitators visit Wildlife Rescue Nests for more information.

Reach out to wildlife@giveshelter.org if you would like to assist with any projects for the Wildlife Center.

Citizen Science Opportunities

Participate in citizen science opportunities with wildlife

Report turtle road crossing sightings to the Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program
Monitor window collisions on the UW-Madison campus with the Madison Audubon's Bird Collision Corps
Report Madison sightings of fox and coyotes to the UW-Madison Urban Canid Project
Volunteer to monitor bats with the Wisconsin Bat Project

Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator

There is a need for more wildlife rehabilitators in Wisconsin and across the country. A great first step is volunteering or completing an Wildlife Internship to see what rehabilitation is all about.

Learn more about wildlife rehabilitation careers and permits.

International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

United States Fish & Wildlife Service

Help Wildlife in Your Own Backyard

Build a brush pile
Plant native plants
Practice responsible bird feeding
Keep cats indoors
Make your windows safe for wild birds