Welcome to the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
The Dan and Dianne May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is situated adjacent to the Elk River on the Lees-McRae College campus. Each year, the Center admits more than 2,000 injured and orphaned wildlife patients from the western part of North Carolina, some in need of minimal care as they reach maturity, and others with more severe injuries that require complex medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care. Each patient is evaluated individually, and, regardless of species, faculty and staff develop a suitable treatment plan.
Have you found an injured or orphaned animal?
Call Us: 828.898.2568Here are some quick tips:
If advised to bring the injured animal to the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, please follow these instructions:
- Use Caution! Cover the animal using gloves and a towel.
- Keep the animal in a warm, dark, quiet place.
- Do not offer food or water as it can cause additional harm.
- If we are too far for you to drive, call us anyway. We can connect you with a local facility.
Support The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
The Friends of Wildlife program enhances and financially supports the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Make a Gift
Recovery Roadmap
The goal for each patient is to release them back to their wild environment, but the how, where, and when of a patient’s release can make for a complicated decision.
Patients—typically injured or orphaned due to interactions with humans, cars, or other man-made infrastructure—are often brought to the Center by community members. During a patient’s intake exam, students and staff palpate the animal and examine any wounds, paying specific attention to wings and limbs to determine if there are any fractures or swelling. Getting a clear picture of a patient’s medical issues during intake is very important, as it helps veterinarians and rehabbers determine the most effective treatment plan.
A unique treatment plan is created for each patient based on their species, injuries, and likelihood of a full recovery. Treatment may involve setting or conducting surgery to repair a broken bone, administering medication, or simply providing care for an animal while they rest.
A full recovery, followed by release into their wild habitat, is the goal for all patients cared for at the Center. A stay at the Center for the patient involves not only dedicated care, but special attention to avoiding human habituation, which could interfere with an animal’s ability to thrive in the wild.
Once animals have fully recovered, students and employees at the Center release them back into their native habitat. Determining whether a patient is ready is not a simple yes or no, however. Questions such as whether the patient needs to be released into a flock or on its own, if their habitat is near the Center or not, and what time of day or night the species is most active, all contribute to the timing and nature of release.
Something Wild is Coming to North Carolina
Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild
Premiere Date: October 3, 2026
Filmed across North Carolina, Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild follows Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast as he explores the wildlife, wild places, and passionate people that make the Tar Heel State one of the country’s most remarkable natural environments. Along the way, Corwin will search for bats and salamanders, encounter black bears, alligators, and sea turtles, snorkel waterways in exploration of native fish, and take viewers inside wildlife rescue and conservation efforts happening in real-time.
Joining Corwin in the field are scientists, wildlife experts, and conservationists, as well as Lees-McRae College students, educators and alumni, whose hands-on work in wildlife biology, rehabilitation, and conservation offers a window into how the next generation of environmental leaders is being prepared.
Renovation
An all-new wildlife rehabilitation and education complex is coming soon to Lees-McRae!
With expanded resources and more space for both patient care and experiential learning, the revamped facility will serve more students and wildlife than ever before.
Career Outcomes
After working at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center as students, Lees-McRae graduates are well equipped to attend veterinary school or begin a career within the field of wildlife and animal science.
Meet the Team
Nina Fischesser
Nina is the director of the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and has worked as a full-time wildlife rehabber and educator for more than 20 years. In addition to working as a senior instructor and leading the Center and the summer clinical program, she is also the founding president of the Wildlife Rehabilitators of North Carolina.
Dr. Sam Young
Sam is the program coordinator for the college’s Pre-Veterinary Medicine program, an assistant professor of Wildlife Biology, and a senior veterinarian. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from North Carolina State University.
Dr. Miranda Torkelson
Miranda is a veterinarian and an assistant professor of Wildlife Biology. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology with certificates in Environmental Studies and Global Health from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
State and federal rehabilitation and education guidelines and permits govern the rehabilitation of wild animals. The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and follows rehabilitation standards established by the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.