TreeHouse Wildlife Center
About the TreeHouse Wildlife Center
Treehouse Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the care of orphaned and injured wildlife with an additional commitment to educating the public about issues relating to wildlife.
Located near Alton, Illinois, Treehouse provides a community service to people in southwestern Illinois who encounter injured or orphaned wildlife by providing a legal and professional means of assisting them and the wildlife involved.
Personal encounter led to the founding of Treehouse
Treehouse was founded in 1979 by Adele Moore and Dr. Richard Evans, two people who discovered through a personal encounter with an injured rabbit that there was a need to care for injured wildlife.
Originating from 3 outdoor cages and a storeroom, Treehouse's humble beginnings blossomed over the next two decades to include a facility on 19 acres with a 2,400 sq. ft. hospital building and 36 outdoor cages.
Keeping animals healthy and untamed
Today Treehouse honors its long running tradition of providing the best treatment and care to orphaned and injured native North American wildlife. This, combined with proper recovery, rehabilitation, and release of healthy, untamed animals back to their natural habitats ensures our center's continued success.
Raising community awareness
In addition, Treehouse believes that for any wildlife rehabilitation program to be truly successful, it must be partnered with an interactive program of public education. The only way to really help our wildlife populations is to educate our human communities about the value of wildlife, the basic needs of wildlife, and man's impact on wildlife. By following this plan of education objectives we can further our cause by teaching people to have compassion, tolerance, and understanding for the creatures that we struggle to save.
Funding and Support
Treehouse does not receive government funding of any kind and operates with donations from the public, memberships, fundraisers, grants, and fees from outreach programs.
Our organization is operated by a dedicated staff of talented individuals. Two of our operational staff receive funding through a generous grant from the Nelson Foundation for supervisory and administrative positions. All other positions are filled by volunteers. Volunteers help fill a variety of needs, from administering care and treatment of wildlife patients to building cages, fundraising, and transporting animals.
Permits
Treehouse operates under permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Illinois Endangered Species Board.