Savage Hart

Savage Hart Dedicated to protecting wild animals through rehabilitation, conservation, and education. This page is not constantly monitored for messages, tags, or comments.

For wildlife emergencies, please call or text our hotline at (888) 444-1810.

STOP! Before You Pick Up That Fawn...It's the height of fawn season, and our hotline has been busy with concerned citize...
06/02/2026

STOP! Before You Pick Up That Fawn...

It's the height of fawn season, and our hotline has been busy with concerned citizens wondering if a baby deer needs to be rescued. The good news? Most of the time, the answer is no.

White-tailed deer fawns are typically born from late May through July and are precocial, meaning they are well-developed and capable of standing, walking, and even sprinting short distances within hours of birth. However, their muscles are still weak, and their stamina is low. While their mother forages for food, fawns hunker down in grass and shrubbery, using their natural camouflage to blend in and avoid predators. Their mothers only return a few times each day to nurse, so it's common for fawns to spend much of the day on their own.

Because of this behavior, people often mistake healthy fawns for orphaned ones and intervene when no help is needed. Unfortunately, removing a healthy fawn from the wild can separate it from its mother and reduce its chances of survival.

The fawn pictured here, however, truly did need help. The homeowners monitored her for several days before contacting us. During that time, she began wandering, continuously calling, and developed a significant parasite load, all signs that she had likely been without her mother for an extended period. After being evaluated and stabilized by our team, she was transferred to a licensed deer rehabilitator for long-term care.

So how can you tell when a fawn may actually need assistance?

✔️ It has a heavy parasite load, such as large numbers of ticks, fleas, flies, or maggots.
✔️ It has obvious injuries.
✔️ It has been wandering and crying continuously for an extended period.
✔️ It is found lying next to a deceased doe.

If none of these apply, there's a good chance the fawn is behaving normally.

If you encounter a fawn, the best thing you can do is observe from a distance and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before taking action.

Please help us spread the word. Every year, healthy fawns are unnecessarily removed from the wild by well-meaning people who assume they have been abandoned. A little knowledge goes a long way toward keeping fawns where they belong: with their mothers.

Share this post and help us prevent a few unnecessary fawn-nappings this season.

🚨 IT'S HERE! 🚨Our *Protect the Locals* merch fundraiser is officially live!For the entire month of June, you can grab a ...
06/01/2026

🚨 IT'S HERE! 🚨

Our *Protect the Locals* merch fundraiser is officially live!

For the entire month of June, you can grab a limited-edition tee, long-sleeve tee, or hoodie and show your love for native wildlife wherever you call home.

Whether you're a turtle saver, owl watcher, fox fan, or simply someone who believes wildlife belongs in the wild, this fundraiser is for you. Every purchase helps support the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of native wildlife while spreading an important message: protect the locals. 🐢🦉🦊

Just one catch... these designs are only available through June. Once the fundraiser ends, they're gone for good. So go ahead, you know you want one. 😉

https://protect-the-locals-fundraiser.checkoutstores.com/campaigns/protect-the-locals-fundraiser

Found grounded near a gas station in LaGrange, this bald eagle was in poor condition when Georgia DNR technicians respon...
05/29/2026

Found grounded near a gas station in LaGrange, this bald eagle was in poor condition when Georgia DNR technicians responded to a late-night rescue call and safely transferred him into our care the following morning. This is our third bald eagle patient of the year. Unfortunately, the first two did not survive the critical first 24 hours. We are hopeful this one will.

Upon admission, he was severely dehydrated, emaciated, and suffering from multiple soft tissue wounds, along with a significant internal and external parasite burden. Even remaining upright for extended periods required effort. Altogether, his condition indicated he had likely been compromised for quite some time before he was found.

Over the next 48 hours, stabilization became the priority. In critically debilitated wildlife patients, treatment must be approached slowly and methodically, as aggressive fluids, nutrition, or medications can sometimes do more harm than good. A special thank you to Dr. Carey at Vet to Pet Services, who spent part of his holiday weekend helping provide additional diagnostics. Thankfully, those diagnostics did not reveal fractures or catastrophic internal trauma, giving us an important reason to remain optimistic.

Now, nearly one week later, we are beginning to see cautious signs of progress. He is standing longer, his appetite is slowly returning, and he continues receiving daily medications, supportive care, and physical therapy exercises to help maintain the range of motion and muscle function in his wings and legs. Today, he will begin an additional medication that we hope will further support his recovery.

From the initial rescue to diagnostics, daily treatments, and rehabilitation, cases like this depend on a network of dedicated professionals and supporters working together. Specialized handling equipment, including protective wraps donated by CARA, helps keep both patients and personnel safe during treatment and transport. The personal protective equipment and medical supplies provided through Project AnimalAid also play an important role in making this level of care possible.

Thank you to Wildlife Resources Division - Georgia DNR, Vet to Pet Services, CARA: Crafters & Artisans for Rescued Animals, Project AnimalAid, and everyone who continues supporting wildlife rehabilitation in our community. We are cautiously optimistic and look forward to sharing future updates.

To learn more about our work and how you can support patients like this eagle, visit our website.

Have you noticed that turtle traffic is officially in full swing across Georgia? 🐢With the combination of warm weather, ...
05/26/2026

Have you noticed that turtle traffic is officially in full swing across Georgia? 🐢

With the combination of warm weather, humidity, and recent rain, eastern box turtles are on the move across the region. This time of year is especially active for the species as they travel in search of food, mates, and nesting areas. Unfortunately, that also means we begin seeing a seasonal increase in turtle patients injured by vehicles, lawn mowers, and domestic pets.

The turtles pictured here are a few of the recent box turtles admitted into our care. Shell injuries often require weeks or even months of daily treatment, supportive care, and careful monitoring while the shell slowly heals. Eastern box turtles are incredibly important members of our native ecosystems, and many spend their entire lives within the same home territory. They are also a protected native species in Georgia, which means it is illegal to take them from the wild as pets without the proper permits.

You know the drill: if you see a turtle crossing the road, and only if it is safe to do so, help them across in the direction they were already heading. Small actions like this truly make a difference for local wildlife.

Okay… buckle up, because this story has had us emotional from start to finish.Over the past several days, a Columbus fam...
05/22/2026

Okay… buckle up, because this story has had us emotional from start to finish.

Over the past several days, a Columbus family had been noticing two adult gray foxes frequently visiting their yard. The homeowners did everything right and are a perfect example of what to do in situations like this: they kept their distance, monitored from afar, and even walked their dog on a leash to avoid disturbing the foxes. But eventually, the homeowners realized that something about this situation did not seem normal.

For nearly an entire day, the foxes remained near the back of the property, barely moving. Even with the homeowner's dog barking from inside the house, the adults stayed put. After this behavior continued for many hours, the homeowners carefully investigated near their privacy fence and discovered why the foxes refused to leave.

One of their kits (a baby fox) was trapped in the fence, suspended by her leg.

After safely freeing her, they immediately contacted us for assistance. Upon admission, the juvenile fox was unable to bear weight on the injured limb. The swelling was so severe that we could not determine whether we were dealing with fractures, dislocations, or significant soft tissue trauma from prolonged suspension. She was provided pain medication, supportive care, and monitoring overnight before being transported to Dr. Carey at Vet to Pet Services for radiographs the following morning.

In wildlife rehabilitation, we always hope for the best while preparing for the worst, especially during veterinary visits like this, where the results can ultimately determine a patient’s future. Thankfully, the radiographs showed no fractures, dislocations, or severe skeletal trauma. She does appear to have nerve damage associated with the injury, but we are hopeful that with medication, physical therapy, proper nutrition, and appropriate rehabilitation, she has a strong chance of recovery.

The part of this story that affected us most came later that night.

This fox kit is currently being housed separately from the orphaned gray fox we admitted a few weeks ago, while we follow strict quarantine protocols. While monitoring cameras throughout the clinic overnight, we observed the two kits vocalizing back and forth from separate rooms, communicating with one another across the facility.

Once quarantine is complete and she is medically stable, we are hopeful the two foxes can eventually be raised together so they can continue developing natural behaviors prior to release.

Two young foxes. Two difficult starts to life. And hopefully, one very successful second chance.

These foxes will remain in rehabilitation for several months. If you would like to support their care, please consider making a donation or signing up as a fox sponsor to help provide for their daily needs while they recover and grow.
Https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/how-to-help/sponsors/

And then, there are moments like this 🥰
05/15/2026

And then, there are moments like this 🥰

The reality of our work: not every patient survives.These are just a few of the patients from recent days whose injuries...
05/14/2026

The reality of our work: not every patient survives.

These are just a few of the patients from recent days whose injuries or conditions were too severe to overcome.

Behind the educational posts and release photos are the cases the public rarely sees. Animals suffering from severe trauma, poisoning, vehicle strikes, domestic animal attacks, habitat destruction, and countless other challenges that wildlife now faces in a rapidly developing world.

And when injuries are too severe or a patient declines despite intervention, our responsibility shifts from rehabilitation to preventing further pain and suffering through supportive care, medical management, or humane euthanasia when necessary.

This work is rewarding, but it is also heavy. There are days our team walks back inside after a loss and immediately has to answer another hotline call, prepare more formula, clean another enclosure, or respond to another emergency.

But even in the hardest moments, these animals matter. Every patient that comes through our doors is treated with compassion, dignity, and respect, whether their story ends in release or not. Sometimes all we can do is try to soften the impact when their paths cross ours.

Wildlife rehabilitation is not just about the releases. It is also about showing up for the difficult cases, carrying the hard outcomes, and continuing to advocate for the wild animals trying to survive alongside us.

Y’all… this would’ve taken our team forever. Can we hear it for the amazing girls at Troop 1776G and their families?! 👏T...
05/08/2026

Y’all… this would’ve taken our team forever. Can we hear it for the amazing girls at Troop 1776G and their families?! 👏

This incredible group spent their evening volunteering with Savage Hart, and the impact they made on our facility was HUGE. As a small team balancing the nonstop demands of wildlife care, projects like these often get pushed further and further down the list simply because there are never enough hours in the day.

Because of their hard work and willingness to help, we were able to make major progress in just a single evening — and now new spaces are ready to begin housing rehabilitation patients.

Community support like this truly keeps our mission moving forward. We are so grateful for every person who chooses to give their time, energy, and heart to helping wildlife in our area. Thank y’all for showing up for us and for the wild animals depending on this work. 💚

Not every animal found alone needs help, but this one did.This young gray fox was found alone, cold, and shivering in th...
05/05/2026

Not every animal found alone needs help, but this one did.

This young gray fox was found alone, cold, and shivering in the rain at just a few weeks old. Despite the circumstances, he is in good overall condition, aside from a significant ectoparasite load that required treatment and medicated baths.

At this age, gray fox kits would still be with their mother, learning critical survival behaviors. The fact that he is already self-feeding is exactly what we want to see. It allows us to minimize handling and reduce the risk of habituation. The less we have to step in, the better. Over the next few months, our role is simple: support his growth while keeping him wild, so when the time comes, he is ready to return to his natural environment.

Back Where He BelongsAfter 326 days in our care, this bobcat was successfully released back into his natural habitat.Wha...
05/01/2026

Back Where He Belongs

After 326 days in our care, this bobcat was successfully released back into his natural habitat.

What began as a few-week-old kitten found alone in a puddle in the middle of a road ended here—healthy, capable, and ready to survive on his own.

For nearly a year, every decision was made with this moment in mind. The feedings, the distance, the intentional care—everything designed to support his development while ensuring he remained wild.

And then the door opens.

From that point on, there is no transition period. No continued support.

Only instinct—his ability to hunt, avoid danger, and navigate a world where he is no longer protected.

That is the goal of wildlife rehabilitation.

To give them everything they need… and then let them go.

Moments like this do not happen without support.

From specialized diets to enclosure design and daily care, cases like this require significant time, resources, and commitment.

If you want to be part of giving wild animals a real second chance, you can support our work here: https://www.savagehartwildlife.org/how-to-help/donate/

Address

P. O. Box 451
Fortson, GA
31808

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18884441810

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