Caring for Texas Wildlife ... One Animal at a Time
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
Our first place - an old trailer
TWRC was founded in 1979 in response to an oil spill and has always operated under the same name. TWRC’s first Shelter Director was Ms.Vivian Steele.
Since 1992, TWRC has operated as a Wildlife Emergency Shelter and Educational Facility, serving the Greater Houston community and surrounding counties.
Current location - 595 Wycliffe
In 1998, TWRC converted an unused convenience store into Houston’s only emergency room for injured wildlife. TWRC is Houston's first wildlife rehabilitation organization that operates a wildlife emergency room to which the public can bring ill, injured and orphaned wildlife.Each year, over 5,000 animals cross the shelter’s threshold in need of special attention and caring hands.
TWRC works closely with other wildlife rehabilitation organizations in the Houston area, including:
Lone Star Wildlife Rescue and Friends of Texas Wildlife, located in northwest Houston, and
Wildlife Rehab and Education
TWRC was the first wildlife shelter in Texas to be an accredited member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. TWRC is licensed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Mission Statement
TWRC’s mission is to promote environmental conservation through public education and rehabilitation of native Texas wildlife.
Organization
TWRC is a 501c (3) non-profit organization. TWRC is primarily a volunteer organization, with only a few year-round employees and a few seasonal employees.
Other key information about us
We have the first staffed facility (‘Shelter’) in the Houston area to accept wild animals from public rescuers.
We have rescuers drive to our location from over 40 cities around the Houston area.
We have over 60 member volunteers who dedicate their time and money to rehabilitate wild animals in their homes.
We recruit, train, and mentor new rehabbers each year.
Texas Parks & Wildlife and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife organizations regulate our work and the work of our rehabbers.
During the busy Spring and Summer seasons, we house our Baby Bird Program on-site at the Shelter. Almost 2000 birds come through our program between April and August.
The Shelter facility provides training, networking, administrative and support functions for our 200 volunteers.
Jessica Michalec, DVM
Our volunteers support the organization at a variety of levels:
State and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitators
