Our Story
It all started with an injured crow.
In the late 1990s, a Good Samaritan brought an injured crow to our founder, Nathou Attinger, while she was at her dayjob: a landscaping business specializing in native plants. The crow's rescuer knew that Nathou was a huge animal lover and would be able to get the crow to professional help.
This experience kickstarted Nathou's own journey as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, caring for hundreds of injured and orphaned native animals out of her own home. After realizing that the critters would just keep coming, Nathou established the Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary at a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2004 alongside a scrappy, talented squad of women committed to the Sanctuary's life-changing work.
What began as a one-woman show has grown into a staff of 10, a standalone modern facility on 20 peaceful acres, and over 50 outdoor enclosures that can cater to most native species.
Our logo honors the Sanctuary's first patient!
Nathou, in a rare moment of not feeding an animal!
In the late 1990s, a Good Samaritan brought an injured crow to our founder, Nathou Attinger, while she was at her dayjob: a landscaping business specializing in native plants. The crow's rescuer knew that Nathou was a huge animal lover and would be able to get the crow to professional help.
This experience kickstarted Nathou's own journey as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, caring for hundreds of injured and orphaned native animals out of her own home. After realizing that the critters would just keep coming, Nathou established the Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary at a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2004 alongside a scrappy, talented squad of women committed to the Sanctuary's life-changing work.
What began as a one-woman show has grown into a staff of 10, a standalone modern facility on 20 peaceful acres, and over 50 outdoor enclosures that can cater to most native species.
Rockfish
Wildlife
Sanctuary
Founded and grown out of Virginia's beautiful Rockfish Valley, our facility lies along the Rockfish River and its tributaries.
We care for wildlife and educate our human neighbors about wildlife.
We provide a short-term Sanctuary for our rehabilitation patients ahead of their release and a forever Sanctuary for our ambassador animals and humans.
Rockfish
Wildlife
Sanctuary
It's all in
the name
From First Footsteps...
Early 2000s
2004
2013
2005
2007
Our wildlife rehabilitation story begins with one big-hearted person. Nathou began caring for native Virginian wildlife in her home in Nelson County.
Nathou founded the Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization after observing how Central Virginia had many committed rehabilitators working individually, but there was a growing need for expertise and a dedicated organization to better serve Virginian wildlife.
With the help of a generous matching grant and a large effort by individual donors, RWS was able purchase 20 beautiful, rural acres in Nelson County - perfect for our future Sanctuary.
RWS moves out of Nathou's house to our gorgeous, state-of-the-art facility on Wheelers Cove Road! Our team quickly took advantage of our beautiful new home by caring for 650 injured and orphaned patients that first year.
2015
2021
2020
2024
Cared for a record 944 patients, including several RWS species "firsts" like least shrews, silver-haired bats, and American Woodcocks.
Cared for over 800 patients, a new record. The need for wildlife rehab in Virginia and beyond has only continued to grow.
2023
2018
The COVID-19 pandemic brought no slow-down in patient load, and our small staff continued providing professional care for over 750 wildlife patients despite having to temporarily halt our volunteer program.
In three short years, we constructed nearly 50 outdoor enclosures. We can house virtually any native species!
111 patients treated at RWS.
457 patients treated at RWS.
2009
625 patients treated at RWS.
We treated 103 patients our first year!
2012
Construction begins in the fall. A team of contractors and dedicated RWS volunteers help excavate, clean up, and build our new home base.
To fledgLing...
To fLying into the future!
2024 © Copyright Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary
Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. EIN 51-0498181.
Thank you for supporting our mission to help native wildlife in Virginia and beyond.