How The Wild Heart Ranch Works To Save Wild Animals In Oklahoma

Wild Heart Ranch is a rehabilitation sanctuary that has been open since 1996 and works with every species of animal native to Oklahoma.

The ultimate goal is to release all their animals back into the wild. The staff receives intakes daily and generally experiences an influx of animal drop-offs after natural disasters. 

Licensed rehabbed Austyn Potter stopped by the Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch to share what daily life is like at Wild Heart Ranch, saving the lives of wild animals. 

Please tell us about the Wild Heart mission.

Our main mission statement is “because we all suffer the same,” and we have several services that we provide for the wildlife in our care. 

1. Provide medical or infant support to any indigenous wild animal in need of assistance and release it into a suitable wild habitat once care is completed.
2. Refrain from imprinting the animal to its human caretakers during its stay in captivity and never intrude on their privacy without cause.
3. Using social media, educate the public about the wild animals in our area and teach a genuine appreciation and respect of their needs and characteristics, promoting conservation, respect and coexistence.
4. Educate ourselves in the care and needs of each species that we experience so that all animals receive complete, professional and individual care.
5. Maintain our facility in the most stringent of cleaning and organizational standards to prevent errors, disease, infection and hazards to both humans and animals
6. ALWAYS respond with patience when faced with ignorance and remember that not all the world has seen through our eyes or cared with our hands
7. Only kind hands on an animal. Always.
8. NEVER cage a wild animal a day longer than necessary, and give the kindness of relief from suffering when suffering has no end.

You can find more info about Wild Heart Ranch On Facebook or the Wild Heart Ranch Website

What kind of animals are at the ranch?

We take every species native to Oklahoma. That ranges from field mice to bobcats and everything in between.

Can you describe the work the ranch does with the animals?

Day to day we receive intakes and those numbers range from just a couple of animals to upwards of 20 a day, depending on the time of year. When an animal arrives at our facility it is given an exam, logged, and put into an appropriate enclosure for recovery. We also provide any medications or treatments that are necessary depending on their needs. 

Each morning, every cage's bedding is changed and cleaned along with all food and water bowls. After giving all the animals a full reset, then the floors get swept and mopped every single day. A lot of what we do is cleaning. Our founder says, “You can't raise a healthy baby in a dirty environment,” and we really try to strive for that. We also get what I would estimate to be 20-50 phone calls a day. Most are from the public needing information or help with wildlife they have encountered. 

How many animals are at Wild Heart now?

It is hard to say an exact amount because it is always fluctuating. During the summer we can have up to 500 at one time and as little as 10 in the winter, it just depends on the time of year. 

Do you have any success stories you can share with us?

Copper is a great success story that is still in recovery. He came in as a baby red fox and was severely anemic. 

At the time we did not realize the true extent of his injuries due to his poor condition. We now assume that he was likely hit by a car and suffered a spinal injury. He is relearning how to walk and has made tremendous progress. He went from not being able to lift his head on his own to now being able to run short distances on his own. 

He still has much more to go but is well along the road to recovery, and eventually release.