Animal Education and Rescue Organization, better known as A.E.R.O., is a non-profit organization in Virginia working towards establishing a centrally located facility for the convenience of the public and local wildlife within the NOVA region! Currently, most rehabilitation currently takes place in the homes of trained and licensed rehabbers, equipped with advanced equipment and technology. By the end of 2024, just about 1,000 animals were successfully rescued and released thanks to A.E.R.O.’s passionate rehabbers, volunteers, and donors! In this year so far, 1,474 animals have been successfully rescued, showing a considerable amount of growth since 2024!

President and founder of A.E.R.O., Olivia LoBaldo, says, “Behind every number is a life—a fox healing from mange, a baby squirrel learning to climb, a turtle crossing the road safely. These stories matter, and you help make them possible. Our dream is to build a Wildlife Intake Center right here in Northern Virginia—somewhere every injured or orphaned animal can get the care it deserves. Each contribution brings that dream closer.” Opening a facility would allow A.E.R.O. to expand their medical and housing capabilities, and, in turn, the capacity of animals that can be saved each year. There will be outdoor enclosures that better acclimate the animals to their surroundings before being released. Additionally, expanding both medical and education resources to not only support native wildlife, but also the Northern Virginia community and promote coexistence with our surroundings. 

A.E.R.O.’s mission is to not only provide care and treatment to the animals but to engage with the public through interaction and education. Some of the planned features regarding community outreach include bioactive enclosures for non-releasable animals that provide information about the species and their role in the ecosystem, gardens full of native and pollinator-friendly species to educate landowners and the general public on how to support wildlife, and interactive zones for kids to get hands-on experience and learn about wildlife!

If you aren’t entirely convinced about the importance of a wildlife rehabilitation center, that’s okay! Part of A.E.R.O.’s goal is dedicated to the coexistence between communities, habitats and wildlife.