Some places just stop you in your tracks, and a certain wildlife hospital tucked in the Shenandoah Valley does exactly that. Virginia is home to one of the most remarkable animal rescue and rehabilitation centers in the entire country, and most people have no idea it exists.
Should wild animals get the same level of medical care as our pets? Locals say absolutely yes, tourists often arrive skeptical, and everyone leaves completely converted.
I visited this extraordinary place and came back with stories I simply cannot keep to myself.
A Teaching Hospital Unlike Any Other
Forget everything you think you know about animal shelters. The Wildlife Center of Virginia operates as a fully functioning teaching and research hospital, complete with surgical suites, diagnostic equipment, and a rotating roster of veterinary students learning the ropes on real patients…