Wildlife Aid Foundation (WAF) - Wild Animal Rescue Centre in Surrey

What we do

Simon Cowell rescuing a trapped tawny owl

1 Rescue

When a wild animal is in trouble we will do everything we can to help. Often this will mean rescuing the animal in stressful and potentially dangerous situations. Whether 50 foot up a tree or deep down in a drain we are always ready and willing to get involved. Covering Surrey and beyond we have a 24 hour helpline and are waiting for our next call to action!

Find out more about WAF

2 Rehabilitation

Once an animal arrives at our wildlife hospital it will be examined and treated by our expert team of wildlife vets and vet nurses. Once back on the road to recovery we ensure a careful programme of rehabilitation so that each creature in our care is fully fit and healthy and ready to live back in the wild.

Wildlife FAQs

Releasing a buzzard after recovery and rehabilitation

3 Release

This is the best bit of the job! When our animals are ready for release we will release them in a suitable area. Often this is the same place from which they were rescued but it is always an area that will support their species and offer them the best possible chance of survival.

Watch releases on You Tube!

About us

Find out more

The Wildlife Aid Foundation (WAF) is dedicated to the rescue, care and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned wild animals. Established in 1980, the charity’s veterinary wildlife hospital in Leatherhead, Surrey deals with more than 20,000 wildlife emergencies every year. Our dedicated aim is to return every patient to the wild once they have recovered. The Foundation’s work was the focus of the popular TV series Wildlife SOS on Discovery Channel’s ‘Animal Planet‘ and has now moved onto the worldwide platform of YouTube (subscribe here). The founder of the Foundation is the environmental broadcaster and campaigner Simon Cowell MBE.

See more videos and watch live webcam feeds of our animals here...

Webcams

Adopt a wild animal!

Find out more

An animal adoption allows you to contribute towards the costs of specialist care, food and medicines that our patients need to help them return to the wild as soon as possible. Send as a gift or just for yourself!

Adopt a Rabbit

Adopt a Hedgehog

Adopt a Fox

Adopt a Deer

Adopt an Owl

Adopt a Badger

Adopt a Bat

We deal with over 20,000 wildlife incidents every year!

Love hedgehogs? Help us Save Harry!

We can answer your wildlife questions. Click here

Get involved

Find out more ways to help

You really can help us to help our wonderful wildlife! Any contribution, large or small, will make a difference. Perhaps you could make a one-off donation? Maybe you’d like to become a member to support us regularly? Or perhaps you could come along and help look after our recovering patients by volunteering at our centre… But whatever you do, you will be helping our amazing British wildlife to get their second chance, back in the wild. Thank you.