JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — It happens to nature lovers all the time - you or your kids come across an injured or orphaned animal.
And oftentimes, you don’t know what to do.
Now there is a new resource in north Fulton County for those little critters and good Samaritans.
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Jess Legato loves wildlife.
So much so that she spent two years working to build a wildlife rehabilitation center with Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and the city of Johns Creek.
“Johns Creek is expanding and that causes things like habitat fragmentation,” Legato said. “But they don’t know what to do to help these injured, or orphaned, or ill animals.”
Legato said before there was a clinic, her heart broke every time a good Samaritan would call and ask her to help a wild animal.
“I would know how to treat it, but legally couldn’t because there was no clinic here so I would have to send them away,” Legato said.
The goal now is to bring the animals back to health, return them to the wild, and give a hand to the humans who want to help.
“I always go through it with them on the phone. Is it actively bleeding? Is its head shaking? Is there mucous? All those gross things,” Legato said.
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The Autrey Mill Wildlife Rehabilitation Center only treats small mammals.
But Legato said you can call her anyway.
The clinic has a list of other centers they can direct you to for birds, reptiles, and pretty much everything else.
The clinic is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
They ask that you do not bring wildlife to the center without consulting them first.
You can get the phone number and email address for Legato on their website.
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