Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab Inc

Save Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab, Inc. from Unfair Zoning Violations

The City of Tifton, Georgia has issued a zoning violation letter to Jessica Pisciotta and Steadfast Wildlife Rescue and Rehab, Inc. in which she received on Friday, February 14, 2025, that threatens this center’s ability to function. The city’s zoning laws have been applied in a way that does not acknowledge the unique nature of wildlife rehabilitation and the fact that the center is not a commercial business but a nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of the animals. The restrictions place unnecessary burdens on the center, and without resolution, could force it to close, jeopardizing the lives of many animals.

This wildlife rescue organization needs help to fight the City of Tifton to get the property rezoned and/or a variance issued for this vital home-based organization to stay open and continue to rescue and rehabilitate injured, orphaned and displaced wildlife in and around the South Georgia area. The city’s current zoning violations threaten the organization's ability to operate and continue its critical work.

Jessica Pisciotta has been a trusted wildlife rehabilitator operating in Tifton, Georgia for over 20 years. Her rescue, Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab, Inc. provides lifesaving care to injured and orphaned wildlife, with the goal of rehabilitating and releasing animals back to their natural habitats. As a home-based center, it operates on a smaller scale and is run by passionate individuals who care deeply about animal welfare and environmental protection.

Licensed wildlife rehabilitators are limited in the state of Georgia, with less of those having all licensing required to take in small mammals, or RVS (rabies vector species) and Jessica Pisciotta is one of the few. Jessica has worked hard to maintain all wildlife rehabilitation licensing required by Georgia Department of Natural Resources to continue to accept, care, and release the animals over the years. She has even taken this a big step further in establishing a 501c3 non-profit organization. She has a strong passion for all animals and only wants to give them a second chance at life. She does not get paid for her services and works various jobs and accepts donations from those who care enough to donate to be able to keep the facility running. She has had many inspections by officials through the years, which have proved no issues at her facility. Wildlife rehabilitation requires 24/7 attention to the animals in care, which is why she has chosen to temporarily have them in her home and on her property. This allows her to be available to the animals around the clock for their needs, as well as to all who call on her for injured or orphaned animals that need care.

Steadfast Wildlife Rescue organization is important because:

*Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab, Inc. has saved countless animals and provided invaluable services to the local ecosystem; and

*Wildlife rehabilitation is a nonprofit, community-driven effort focused on animal care, not commercial enterprise; and

*Closing the center would harm not only the animals it cares for but also the community that benefits from the services it provides.

A petition is available to sign to help and support this organization as well: https://www.change.org/p/save-steadfast-wildlife-rescue-rehab-inc-from-unfair-zoning-violations

Jessica received a letter February 14, 2025 giving her 30 days from the date of the letter (February 10, 2025) to bring her property in compliance with current zoning classification. We are in urgent need of support to get this changed immediately considering this stated time frame.

Friends of Steadfast we need your help now more than ever! We have worked tirelessly to relocate and rebuild at a new location in the amount of time we were given by the city. We have made great strides and an incredible amount of progress. We are still in need of power on the property, several more enclosures and with it being baby season lots of formula and supplies to keep the neonatal center running. In order to make this a forever place for our rescue and release work we will need to save up enough to purchase the acreage that we are building on. On top of it all we desperately needed an attorney to help us with our case and to salvage what was left of the rescue. Please consider helping with as little as a dollar towards saving this rescue, we never turn anyone in need away, we always answer your calls any hour of the day and night. Please help save this rescue, we are vital to south Ga and to our community. Please share, you can contact us at [phone redacted]

Stay Steadfast and God Bless

You can make a difference by donating today to Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab Inc.

Steadfast’s mission is to protect and conserve wildlife by providing a safe haven for injured, orphaned, sick, and displaced animals. I rescue, rehabilitate, and release wildlife back into their natural habitats, while promoting public awareness and education about the importance of wildlife conservation.

URGENT: Help Steadfast Get Power and Save Wildlife!

Thank you for standing with Steadfast and the wild lives that depend on us.

We have done everything the city counsil asked for the relocation in the short 30 days we were given but that didn’t satisfy them. They have come after our neonatal room now and have given 30 days to relocate that or the rescue can not continue. We will be unable to save countless innocent animals. They say we are out of ordinance feeding neonatal wildlife in incubators inside my home that is why we are being forced to either stop or relocate the neonatal center. Without electricity this is not possible.

Steadfast Wildlife Rescue is in crisis. We urgently need your help to get power through Georgia Power to continue saving the lives of orphaned and injured native wildlife — many of them state and federally protected species.

Without electricity, we can’t operate lifesaving incubators, oxygen units, or heating systems that our neonatal wildlife patients desperately depend on. These tiny, vulnerable animals — many just days old — rely on us for round-the-clock care, warmth, and nutrition.

What We Do:

Steadfast rehabilitates orphaned and injured native wildlife, giving each animal a second chance to thrive and return to the wild where they belong. From baby squirrels and raccoons to protected birds and fawns, every life matters here.

What We Need:

We must raise money immediately to have electricity run and power poles put up through Georgia Power receive critical electricity. Without it, we risk losing the very animals we’ve fought so hard to save.

How You Can Help:

Donate whatever you can — every dollar truly counts.

Share this post with animal lovers, friends, and your community.

If you know someone who might sponsor or support us, please connect us.

These animals don’t have a voice. Be theirs.

Thank you for standing with Steadfast and the wild lives that depend on us.

We have done everything the city counsil asked for the relocation in the short 30 days we were given but that didn’t satisfy them. They have come after our neonatal room and have given 30 days to relocate that or the rescue can not continue to save countless innocent animals. They say we are out of ordinance feeding neonatal wildlife in incubators inside my home that is why we are being forced to either stop or relocate the neonatal center. Without electricity this is not possible.

You can make a difference by donating today to Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab Inc.

Steadfast’s mission is to protect and conserve wildlife by providing a safe haven for injured, orphaned, sick, and displaced animals. I rescue, rehabilitate, and release wildlife back into their natural habitats, while promoting public awareness and education about the importance of wildlife conservation.

We need legal representation immediately to help us in our fight to save this wildlife rescue! Without an attorney the fate of many innocent wild animals will perish. Please help us, we have worked so hard in such a short time to save this rescue and comply with our city, only to be shut down again and again. Without legal representation the harassment will never end and the city may win and Steadfast with cease to exist.

Please help us in this fight for survival!

You can make a difference by donating today to Steadfast Wildlife Rescue Rehab Inc.

Steadfast’s mission is to protect and conserve wildlife by providing a safe haven for injured, orphaned, sick, and displaced animals. I rescue, rehabilitate, and release wildlife back into their natural habitats, while promoting public awareness and education about the importance of wildlife conservation.