WERLA is  a state and federally licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife back into their natural habitat. Working closely with federal Departments of Wildlife and Fisheries and our local communities we take in a care for roughly several hundred wild animals from Louisiana each year.

To give the animals with the best chance for rehabilitation, we regularly network with local, private, state-licensed rehabilitators to provide individualized care for different species of animals.   

WERLA operates with a full-time licensed, wildlife veterinarian on staff as well as technicians, NAI Certified guides, and animal ambassadors. We strive to provide excellent quality care and rehabilitation for the animals until they can be safely released back to their natural habitat.

Habitat construction, flight pens, feeding regiments and natural simulation of their environment are essential to facilitate the reentry of these animals back into the wild.

In addition to animal care, we work often to educate the public on best practices for the preservation and conservation of Louisiana’s wildlife and their habitats. As a result, our local communities have a greater understanding of how to interact with wildlife and a greater respect for the land we all share. 

In 2016, Louisiana experienced the worst natural disaster to strike the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, receiving 6,900,000,000,000 gallons of rain in one week. In addition to the thousands of residents displaced, several Louisiana native wildlife species were forced from their habitats and into populated areas in search of shelter and food. Recently, climate change researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that current global warming trends increase the chance of such intense rains in the region by at least 40%. As this occurs, our state will experience a stark change to its’ natural landscape and wildlife population. In an effort to preserve Louisiana’s wildlife population, WERLA actively works to grow our facility and capabilities to provide a safe shelter for these displaced, injured, and orphaned animals, but we can’t do it alone! Your contribution makes it possible to rescue more animals, provide them with food, medicine, and a safe space where they can rest their wings (or paws) and prepare for their journey back into the wild.