Disclaimer: AWK News is an independent informational directory and is not sponsored by, affiliated with or endorsed by the organizations listed below unless specifically stated otherwise. Please contact each organization before transporting or surrendering an animal. Intake policies, current services, hours, licensing and available space can change. Wildlife rehabilitators may also be permitted to accept only certain species.
Animal Rescue League of Iowa — Des Moines
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
5452 NE 22nd Street, Des Moines, IA 50313
Phone:
515-262-9503
Email:
arl@arl-iowa.org
County:
Polk County
Website:
https://arl-iowa.org/
Emergency Hotline:
Yes – 24/7
Animals Helped:
Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Guinea pigs and other small companion animals
Horses
Barn animals
Stray and abandoned companion animals
Services Provided:
Animal sheltering
Adoption
Foster care
Animal cruelty intervention
Spay/neuter services
Pet behavior assistance
Lost and found animal services
Pet food assistance
Community veterinary services
Horse and barn-animal adoption
Animal Services for the City of Des Moines
About:
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa provides adoption, animal care, pet-support programs, cruelty intervention and other services throughout central Iowa. Its Second Chance Ranch handles horse and barn-animal adoptions. ARL Animal Services also has access to 24-hour Des Moines Police dispatch for animals in distress.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Cedar Valley Humane Society — Cedar Rapids
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
7411 Mt. Vernon Road SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
Phone:
319-362-6288
Email:
info@cvhumane.org
County:
Linn County
Website:
HOME | Allsop Family Humane Society
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Guinea pigs
Hamsters
Gerbils
Mice
Rats
Ferrets
Companion birds
Other small companion animals
Services Provided:
Animal sheltering
Adoption
Foster care
Stray animal intake
Owner-surrender assistance
Veterinary care
Vaccinations
Spay/neuter
Microchipping
Animal education
Behavior and training programs
About:
Cedar Valley Humane Society provides care and adoption services for thousands of animals each year, including stray, surrendered and rescued animals. Its adoption program includes dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, ferrets, birds and other species.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Last Hope Animal Rescue — Cedar Rapids
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
1823 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone:
319-200-4880
Email:
adoptions@adopthope.org
County:
Linn County
Website:
Home – Animal Rescue Services – Last Hope Animal Rescue
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Dogs
Cats
Abandoned companion animals
Neglected companion animals
Animals needing medical care
Animals needing behavioral rehabilitation
Services Provided:
Animal rescue
Foster care
Adoption
Veterinary treatment
Spay/neuter
Surgery
Medical recovery
Behavioral care
About:
Last Hope Animal Rescue is a foster-based, volunteer-run organization serving eastern Iowa. Its Cedar Rapids facility functions as an intake and care center for animals that may require medical or behavioral treatment before entering foster or permanent homes.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport — De Soto
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
4000 Ash Street, De Soto, IA 50069
Phone:
515-834-1157
Email:
No public direct email listed
County:
Dallas County
Website:
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport | AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Other small companion animals
Homeless companion animals
Services Provided:
Animal rescue
Adoption
Foster care
Animal transport
Low-cost spay/neuter services
Trap-neuter-return
Pet food assistance
Community animal-welfare education
About:
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport is a nonprofit rescue headquartered in De Soto. It rescues homeless companion animals, transports dogs from overcrowded shelters to rescue partners, provides food assistance and operates low-cost spay/neuter and trap-neuter-return programs. Its current adoptable animals include dogs, cats and rabbits.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
PAWS & More Animal Shelter — Washington
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
1004 1/2 West Madison Street, Washington, IA 52353
Phone:
319-653-6713
Email:
washingtonpawsandmore1978@gmail.com
County:
Washington County
Website:
PAWS & More Animal Shelter | Washington, Iowa
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Dogs
Cats
Kittens
Companion animals needing temporary or medical foster care
Services Provided:
Animal sheltering
Adoption
Foster care
Animal field services
Medical recovery fostering
Bottle-baby kitten fostering
Stray animal assistance
Community outreach
Humane education
About:
PAWS & More, also known as Washington County Humane Society, is a private nonprofit shelter serving Washington and surrounding communities. It provides shelter and adoption services and serves as the animal field-services organization for Washington County and many incorporated communities within the county.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Iowa Farm Sanctuary — Oxford
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
1696 250th Street NW, Oxford, IA 52322
Phone:
No public phone
Email:
contact@iowafarmsanctuary.org
County:
Johnson County
Website:
Iowa Farm Sanctuary
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Cattle
Pigs
Sheep
Goats
Chickens
Other rescued farm animals
Services Provided:
Farm-animal rescue
Lifetime sanctuary care
Veterinary care
Rehabilitation
Humane education
Animal advocacy
Community outreach
About:
Iowa Farm Sanctuary provides a permanent safe haven for rescued farm animals in Oxford. Its mission combines rescue and lifetime care with public education about the lives, intelligence and individual needs of farm animals.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Iowa Equine Rescue & Awareness League — Cedar Rapids
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
No
Address:
P.O. Box 8726, Cedar Rapids, IA 52408
Phone:
319-560-0347
Email:
ieraladoption@gmail.com
County:
Linn County
Website:
IERAL HOME PAGE
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Horses
Ponies
Other equines
Neglected equines
Abandoned equines
Equines involved in cruelty cases
Services Provided:
Equine rescue
Rehabilitation
Foster care
Adoption
Neglect and cruelty-case assistance
Law-enforcement assistance
Equine-welfare education
Animal-husbandry education
About:
Iowa Equine Rescue & Awareness League is an all-volunteer organization that has assisted equines throughout all 99 Iowa counties. It works with law-enforcement agencies in abuse, abandonment and neglect cases, rehabilitates horses and works to place suitable animals into permanent homes.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation — Des Moines
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
Yes
Address:
3108 49th Street, Des Moines, IA 50310
Phone:
515-207-5008
Email:
iowabirdrehab@gmail.com
County:
Polk County
Website:
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation – Home
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Songbirds
Waterfowl
Shorebirds
Game birds
Migratory birds
Small raptors
Other native wild birds
Services Provided:
Wild-bird rescue
Wildlife rehabilitation
Injury care
Orphan care
Medical rehabilitation
Wildlife release
Public guidance for found birds
Wildlife education
Conservation outreach
About:
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recovering, rehabilitating and releasing injured, sick and orphaned wild birds. Iowa State University Extension’s wildlife rehabilitation directory lists Iowa Bird Rehabilitation personnel as licensed rehabilitators for migratory birds, songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and other species.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Iowa Wildlife Center — Ames
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
Yes
Address:
328 Main Street, Ames, IA 50010
Phone:
515-233-1379
Email:
info@iowawildlifecenter.org
County:
Story County
Website:
Iowa Wildlife Center
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Native birds
Bats
Squirrels
Opossums
Rabbits
Reptiles
Amphibians
Other native mammals
Services Provided:
Wildlife rescue
Medical treatment
Wildlife rehabilitation
Conditioning for release
Wildlife release
Habitat stewardship
Wildlife education
Conservation outreach
About:
Iowa Wildlife Center provides professional rescue, medical treatment and rehabilitation for native wildlife in central Iowa. Its current programs focus on native birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians and mammals of conservation concern. Iowa State University’s rehabilitation directory lists Iowa Wildlife Center personnel as licensed wildlife rehabilitators.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026
Wildthunder Wildlife & Animal Rehabilitation & Sanctuary — Independence
501(c)(3) Nonprofit:
Yes
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator:
Yes
Address:
2584 Henley Avenue, Independence, IA 50644
Phone:
319-961-3352
Email:
wildthunderwars@gmail.com
County:
Buchanan County
Website:
Wildthunder W.A.R.S | wildthunderwars
Emergency Hotline:
No
Animals Helped:
Raptors
Songbirds
Waterfowl
Reptiles
Bats
Woodchucks
Beavers
Otters
Mink
Weasels
Coyotes
Foxes
Bobcats
Other native mammals
Some exotic animals
Services Provided:
Wildlife rescue
Wildlife rehabilitation
Medical rehabilitation
Raptor rehabilitation
Reptile rehabilitation
Bat rehabilitation
Animal sanctuary care
Wildlife education
Wildlife release
About:
Wildthunder Wildlife & Animal Rehabilitation & Sanctuary is a state- and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation center and a state-licensed animal shelter facility in eastern Iowa. Iowa State University’s current rehabilitation directory lists Wildthunder as a licensed rehabilitator for numerous mammals, birds, raptors, reptiles and bats and notes that it holds a Migratory Bird Permit.
Last Verified:
September 21, 2026