When a wild animal needs help — whether it’s injured, orphaned, or needs a safer place to roam — nonprofit wildlife rescues and rehabilitation centers are committed to providing whatever care they can to help these creatures survive and thrive.
However, because their missions include work with wild animals, these nonprofits face risks that most other nonprofits don’t — and that means generic “one size fits all” insurance coverage that many providers offer nonprofits may not be enough for them to safely operate.
All nonprofits need insurance coverage to operate, and wildlife rescues and rehabilitation centers are no exception. So, what do these nonprofits need most when it comes to their insurance?
Let’s find out.
Meet some wildlife rescue and rehabilitation nonprofits insured by NIA.
We asked some NIA-insured nonprofits whose missions include wildlife rescue and rehabilitation about their missions and how those determine what they need from their insurance coverage — and their insurance provider — in order to operate safely.
Here’s what they had to say…
Lokai Rose Foundation (West Milford, NJ)
“We are a women-founded nonprofit in northern New Jersey that specializes in environmental education and exotic pet rescue.
We assist the public and law enforcement with the rescue and rehoming of abandoned, neglected, or displaced exotic pets.
We offer educational summer camp experiences for kids ages 8-15, as well as science enrichment programming aligned with New Jersey’s state learning standards.”
— Samantha Barrere, Marketing Director, Lokai Rose Foundation
Northern Colorado Wildlife Center (Fort Collins, CO)
“Northern Colorado Wildlife Center rescues, rehabilitates, and releases sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals, while educating the public and advocating for compassionate coexistence.
We provide lifesaving care to over 500 animals annually, serving as a community-first resource for wildlife emergencies, outreach, and hands-on environmental education.
We provide licensed wildlife rehabilitation, public education programs, and training opportunities for future wildlife professionals.
We also advocate for coexistence and humane solutions to human-wildlife conflicts while promoting environmental stewardship throughout Northern Colorado.”
— Michela Dunbar, Wildlife Rehabilitator, Northern Colorado Wildlife Center
Native Animal Rescue (Santa Cruz, CA)
“Native Animal Rescue is licensed by both the federal and state Fish & Wildlife departments to rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife with the goal of releasing them back to the wild.
We also educate the public on how to peacefully coexist with our wildlife neighbors.
Our intake center is open every day of the year for people to bring injured and orphaned wildlife. We also have a hotline for people to receive advice about wildlife, and to send out volunteers to rescue wildlife.”
— Eve Egan, Executive Director, Native Animal Rescue
What did these wildlife rescue and rehabilitation nonprofits need most from their insurer?
An insurer that covered all services offered.
“We needed an all-encompassing policy that covered all of our services. We had previously had to split our coverage onto two different policies because companies we worked with previously wouldn’t cover all of our services.
This was more expensive than our policy with NIA and more confusing because we had to keep multiple policies organized.”
— Samantha Barrere, Lokai Rose Foundation
Affordable coverage that understands unique risks.
“As a hands-on wildlife hospital working with volunteers, the public, and sensitive species, our top priority was finding reliable, affordable liability and property coverage that understood our unique operational risks — and could grow with us.”
— Michela Dunbar, Northern Colorado Wildlife Center
Coverage for board members, staff, and volunteers.
“We needed insurance coverage for our board of directors, our volunteers, and our staff.”
— Eve Egan, Native Animal Rescue
How did these wildlife rescue and rehabilitation nonprofits hear about NIA?
An advisor’s suggestion.
“We have a nonprofit advisor who recommended NIA to help us address our issues with multiple insurance policies.”
— Samantha Barrere, Lokai Rose Foundation
Recommendations from other wildlife-focused nonprofits.
“We learned about NIA through other wildlife nonprofits and animal shelters who recommended them specifically for their focus on nonprofit needs.
After reviewing our options, we realized NIA offered both the coverage and understanding we’d been looking for.”
— Michela Dunbar, Northern Colorado Wildlife Center
A longtime partnership.
“I believe Native Animal Rescue has been insured by NIA for over 25 years — before I was involved.”
— Eve Egan, Native Animal Rescue
Since becoming an NIA member, how has that relationship helped these wildlife rescue and rehabilitation nonprofits?
Affordable and comprehensive coverage, with less stress.
“Our team had been stressed with our previous insurance policy because we had to split our services into multiple policies.
NIA made it easy to find a policy that covered all of our services — for less than we were paying for all our previous policies combined. NIA’s representatives are very responsive and have always had the answer to our questions.”
— Samantha Barrere, Lokai Rose Foundation
Policies and tools that makes us feel supported — not just covered.
“NIA understands nonprofits in a way most insurers don’t. As a wildlife rescue and education center, we face unique challenges — and NIA helps us feel protected.
We appreciate how NIA tailors coverage for the nonprofit world. Their team is approachable, quick to respond, and makes us feel supported — not just covered. We also value the peace of mind their risk resources provide for our growing staff and volunteer base.
We’ve also benefited from NIA’s free HR and risk management resources, especially for building internal policies that protect staff, volunteers, and animals. These tools have helped us develop a stronger, safer organizational structure — something vital to our small but high-impact team.”
— Michela Dunbar, Northern Colorado Wildlife Center
Smooth operation and quick answers to questions.
“It has been very straightforward. I haven’t had to have much contact with NIA because things have run smoothly.
A couple of times, when I had questions about a bill payment, I was able to get ahold of someone on the phone right away who helped me.”
— Eve Egan, Native Animal Rescue
Nonprofit wildlife rescues and rehabilitation centers need an insurer that understands their mission.
Why do wildlife rescue and rehabilitation nonprofits choose to get their insurance coverage from NIA?
It’s simple: Nonprofits want an insurer that understands their mission, they want coverage that actually covers them where they need it most, they want an insurance provider that picks up the phone when they have a question, and they want it for a price that doesn’t break their budget.
Your wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center protects wild creatures and helps them thrive — when NIA insures your nonprofit, you have a partner that protects your mission and helps it thrive.
