Alabama Wildlife Rescue
Alabama Wildlife Rescue (AWR) was founded in early 2021. AWR is a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Huntsville Alabama. Licensed as Madison County Small Mammal Rescue and Rehab, it is the only state licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility north of Birmingham. The facility is currently located in the home of the Director, Michael Treat. It is also a licensed foster home.
The foster boys, along with a small group of volunteers help with caring for the animals and building facilities. The boys, who so often have been desperately lacking someone to care for them, learn what it means to care for and about another living creature. AWR is licensed to care for squirrels, rabbits and other small mammals and is currently expanding to accept opossums. The most common animals surrendered to the rescue are orphan grey squirrels, rabbits and flying squirrels. The rescue also provides assistance to wildlife in distress. This includes capturing and arranging transport to a suitable rehabilitation center if needed. Being the only wildlife rehab center in North Alabama, we have found that there is a heavy demand for our services. What started out with the goal of rehabilitating a few orphans has grown beyond our wildest expectations. In November we began enlarging our facilities by building another large squirrel habitat to house the late babies that must be wintered over until spring.
Volunteers work on building a panel for a new habitat
AWR is totally funded by donations and never charges for its services. Donations are always appreciated. AWR is now 5013c non-profit organization. If you are interested in helping support our work, either through donations, volunteering or other, click here.
Meet the Director
AWR is run by Michael Treat a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in the State of Alabama. Michael, who is Cherokee grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma. His Cherokee heritage gave him a profound respect and reverence for all life, especially wild creatures. As a boy, he cared for many orphaned and injured animals both domestic and wild.
Michael was forced to retire in 2011 after a nearly fatal work accident. Not expected to live, he surprised his doctors and survived. He is disabled and bears the scars of that accident. Since then, Michael has dedicated his life to caring for foster boys. His interest in wildlife rekindled when Sammy D Squirrel joined the family! A friend who knew of his love for animals brought him Sammy, an orphaned grey squirrel. Michael and his boys cared for Sammy and the experience changed their lives. Sadly, Sammy died before he was released, but he had left his mark. The experience of loving and caring for Sammy made Michael and his boys eager to raise another squirrel. Michael researched wildlife rehabilitation and with his boys built the required habitats and became a wildlife rehabber licensed by the state of Alabama.
Sammy D Squirrel, who started it all