The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Eastern Grey Squirrel
April 24, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL.– Alabama citizens who provide emergency assistance to injured, wounded, or orphaned wild animals are committing a crime – even if it is on their own land. The Alabama Good Samaritan Wildlife Rehabilitation Act has been introduced in the Alabama House of Representatives to change that.
On Thursday, the Alabama Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation Society (AWCRS), North Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitators, and Alabama NEEDS Wildlife Rehabbers announced that they are supporting the new legislation.
House Bill 448 (HB448) is sponsored by State Representative Ben Harrison (R- Athens).
Supporters say that the Alabama Good Samaritan Wildlife Rehabilitation Act has the potential to significantly improve how injured or orphaned wildlife is cared for across the state. HB448 allows individuals to "in good faith provide care or treatment to sustain life or reduce disability to any injured, orphaned, or debilitated wild bird or animal that is not federally protected or otherwise endangered so that the organism may be returned to the wild."
The bill also specifically states it does not supersede current laws restricting individuals from practicing veterinarian medicine, or exempt any individual from the crime of animal cruelty.
Since 2013, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has implemented policies that severely restrict the rehabilitation of certain species and making rabies vector species (raccoons, coyotes, skunks, foxes and bats) illegal altogether. The banning of the rabies vector species, even goes beyond Federal government suggestions.
Deborah King is the spokesperson for Alabama NEEDS Wildlife Rehabbers says:
"Alabama is one of the worst states for Wildlife Rehabilitation," said King. "Our state has gone from 100 Wildlife rehabbers in 2013 to only 5 today. The Alabama Fish and Game Department has totally outlawed any resident to assist injured or orphaned raccoons, foxes, skunks, coyotes and bats."
"When Alabamians call the Department of Fish and Game for help, they are told to let nature take its course," said King. "Sadly, the majority of time, the injury is caused by humans, not nature. Compassionate Alabamians who try to save wildlife of any species are [labeled] as criminals and the animal will be confiscated by the state and immediately killed."
King said that the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) has publicly stated that it is preferable to allow injured wildlife to die rather than rehabilitate them.
Ray Metzler is the Assistant Chief of Wildlife for WFF.
King quoted Metzler as stating, "Basically, there is no biological reason to rehabilitate these animals... it's survival of the fittest. It really is."
Terry Morse is the former director of Big Bend Wildlife Sanctuary. Morse recalls meetings with the WFF.
"We (wildlife rehabilitators) were told by the Director of WFF, Chuck Sykes, that he didn't need us or want us," said Morse. "He called rehabilitators "an unnecessary evil."
This issue drew national and international attention recently when New York authorities seized You Tube star - rescue squirrel Peanut and his animal companion, Rocky the Raccoon, and executed them – because they could.
The issue garnered national attention from national conservative thought leaders including Donald Trump Jr. and J.D. Vance who called attention to the absurdity of government becoming so powerful that they punish American citizens who wish to rehabilitate wildlife and execute their rescue animals.
Trump Jr. stated in The Hill, "Our government will let in 16,000 rapists, they will let in 13,000 murderers... but if someone has a pet squirrel without a permit they will go in there and kill the squirrel."
Wildlife rehabilitation reform advocates support and encourage the state legislature to pass HB448.
Over 12,000 people have signed a change.org petition urging legislative action to protect Alabama wildlife and reform current laws.
Advocates point to a state wide poll conducted in February 2025 that found that 66% of Alabamians support legislation that allows individual citizens to care for orphaned or injured animals. While 20% said they don't care one way or the other. Only 14% said that they oppose the idea.
Advocates say that Alabama residents have expressed their support for wildlife rehabilitation reform through numerous social media platforms, with organizations such as the Alabama Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation Society boasting over 4.7K likes and 6K followers on Facebook, Alabama NEEDS Wildlife Rehabbers with 696 likes and 1.3k followers, and North Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitators with 3K likes and 3.1K followers.
House Bill 448 has cleared the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee in a 9 to 3 voice vote. With time running out on the 2025 Legislative session, HB448 needs to be voted on by the full House of Representatives for it to have any chance of consideration by the Senate before time runs out on this legislative session.
Supporters are urging citizens, who believe that individuals should have the legal right to care for injured or orphaned wildlife, to contact their state representative and urge them to get HB448 on the House calendar for the next legislative day – Tuesday, April 29.
The Alabama Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation Society (AWCRS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting wildlife conservation and rehabilitation efforts throughout Alabama. The organization works to provide resources and support to rehabilitators and advocates for policy changes that will ensure better care and protection of wildlife in the state.
The North Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitators are a group of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators in the northern part of the state who provide care for injured, orphaned, and debilitated wildlife. They focus on the rehabilitation and release of animals to their natural habitats.
Alabama NEEDS Wildlife Rehabbers is a grassroots organization advocating for better wildlife rehabilitation policies across the state of Alabama. The organization supports the introduction of new laws that will protect injured wildlife and ensure they receive proper care.
Reader Comments(0)