The GROW Wildlife Hospital of Georgia will be constructed as a state-of-the-art medical facility seeking platinum level certification from The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The LEED Green Building Rating System was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

When completed, this regional environmental and educational attraction will be staffed by wildlife specialist veterinarians from the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Veterinary Medicine. UGA will also use this hospital as an educational tool for veterinary students.

The wildlife hospital will specialize in the treatment of all species of native wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that have been injured due to urban expansion and man’s encroachment into their natural habitat. Unlike domestic animals, zoological animals, and exotic pets which have the opportunity for professional veterinary care when they are sick or injured because their owners pay the necessary veterinary fees, native wildlife animals have no owners to pay for professional veterinary care. For this reason, native wildlife animals are often forced to suffer or rely solely on the help of lay practitioners called Wildlife Rehabilitators for medical care. State agencies license these generous caregivers but most of these agencies do not require or provide any type of veterinary certification, veterinary training, or financial support.

The GROW Wildlife Hospital of Georgia will ensure that native wildlife animals enjoy the same specialized level of care when sick or injured that are offered for domestic, zoological, and exotic pet species.

Both Wildlife Veterinarians and Wildlife Rehabilitators are needed in each state. Wildlife specialist veterinarians are able to provide professional diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical support and can make the appropriate decision if wildlife patients are suitable for release back into the wild. If they decide an animal is suitable for release, the wildlife patients will be distributed to a credible Wildlife Rehabilitator that will provide care during convalescence, and prepare their release back into the wild.

Georgia needs this wildlife hospital! According to a recent study by Smart Growth America, 46 percent of all known population occurrences of imperiled species are within the boundaries of metropolitan areas. Georgia has several counties listed in the top 35 fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States where rapid consumption of land threatens the survival of native species. Nuisance wildlife trapper and wildlife rehabilitator permit records from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources provide valuable insight to the severe rate of destruction of wildlife species in Atlanta metropolitan areas caused by human impact issues. According to these records alone, thousands of native wildlife animals are injured, trapped, and destroyed annually.