About PAWS Wildlife Center

Since the PAWS Wildlife Center opened in 1981, PAWS has cared for more than 100,000 wild animals. Our primary goal is to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, restore them to full health and return them to the wild as functioning members of their wild population.

We are one of only two centers in the state able to rehabilitate marine mammals, primarily Harbor Seals.

Our wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary team continues to rise to the challenge of providing specialized and superior care for more than 260 species, from eagles to otters and chickadees to bears. Read more about PAWS’ history and milestones.

A wildlife ER and trauma center

PAWS Wildlife Center is the only wildlife rehabilitation center in Washington State equipped with immediate and continual veterinary expertise and services, all in-house. We employ a highly qualified veterinary and rehabilitation team to accomplish our life-saving work. As needed, we also call upon local board certified veterinarians and state biologists.

Training and education

Today PAWS Wildlife Center is internationally known for our training and education programs and high quality, expert animal care. Students, wildlife rehabilitation professionals and veterinarians from around the world come to PAWS to learn about wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife medicine. 

In addition to hands on work with wildlife, PAWS assists thousands of citizens facing conflicts with wildlife to find effective, long-term, humane solutions.

Community partnerships

Through our partnerships with private and public agencies, community groups, and wildlife health professionals, we help even more wild animals in Washington State and beyond. Together, we advance local and national research and wildlife health surveillance.

To name a few partnerships, PAWS is a member of the Washington Wildlife Rehabilitation Association (WWRA), National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA), the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) and the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association (WSVMA).

Licensed wildlife rehabilitators

As required by law, PAWS holds rehabilitation and oiled wildlife permits from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and a federal permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowing PAWS to rehabilitate migratory birds. We are also part of our region’s NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Stranding Network.