Hi everyone! My name is Kaylee, and I’m a subpermitted wildlife rehabilitator and High School Animal Science teacher/FFA Advisor in Texas. I spend my free time rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned, injured, and sick wild animals — including raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, and skunks — to give them a second chance at life in the wild.

In Texas, wildlife rehabilitation is completely volunteer-based. We are required to hold permits, submit quarterly reports, and follow strict state and federal guidelines — but we do not receive any pay, funding, or free medical supplies. Every syringe, feeding formula, enclosure, and medication comes out of our own pockets or through donations from generous people like you.

But my mission doesn’t end with wildlife. I also teach Small Animal Management and Veterinary Medicine at Dickinson High School, where I mentor students every day who dream of becoming veterinarians, rehabilitators, and caretakers. Over the years, I’ve taught and guided hundreds of students who go on to advocate for animal welfare and conservation themselves.

This isn’t a side project — it’s who I am. From the baby raccoon in my hands to the student in my classroom, my entire life is dedicated to protecting animals and inspiring future generations to do the same.

As rewarding as this work is, it also comes with serious risks. Rabies exposure is one of the biggest dangers wildlife rehabilitators face, especially when working with so many species that can carry the virus. While I have been lucky so far, I want to make sure I can continue this work safely and responsibly.

That’s why I’m fundraising to get my Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) and pre-exposure rabies vaccination series. The vaccine costs around $470 per dose, and full protection requires 3–4 doses, which adds up quickly.

Your donation will help me:

Even a few dollars makes a difference — and helps ensure I can keep doing what I love without putting my health at risk. Thank you so much for supporting wildlife rescue and the people behind it!

— Kaylee