From ICU-level bat care to public education at Congress Avenue Bridge, every program we run exists to create a world where bats and people thrive together.
We provide individualized care for every animal — from day-old pups to adult bats recovering from injury.
Austin Bat Refuge provides expert veterinary care and rehabilitation for injured, sick, and orphaned bats across our nine-county service area. We accept bats 24/7 during our active season.
Our rehabilitation process follows protocols developed over decades of experience. Each bat receives a full assessment, appropriate treatment, and individualized care until it is ready for release.
We never recommend extermination. There is always a humane path forward.
When bats move into homes, businesses, or public spaces, conflicts arise. Austin Bat Refuge provides expert consultation and humane exclusion services for homeowners, businesses, and government agencies.
Our approach always prioritizes finding solutions that protect both human health and bat populations. We never recommend lethal control when exclusion is possible — and it almost always is.
Conflict Resolution Services →The best protection for bats is a public that understands and values them.
Our education programs bring the wonder of bats to thousands of Austinites each year. From school presentations to our weekend education table at Congress Avenue Bridge, we're always working to replace fear with fascination.
For Schools: We offer classroom presentations for grades K–12, featuring live specimens, interactive demonstrations, and curriculum-aligned content about bat biology, echolocation, and conservation.
For the Public: Find us at the Congress Avenue Bridge every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — we'll be the enthusiastic people with the bat specimens and the answers to all your questions.
Watching a rehabilitated bat disappear into the night sky is why we do this work.
Release is the ultimate goal of every rehabilitation case. We carefully select release sites based on the bat's species, age, and the season — prioritizing locations near established colonies and food sources.
We track release outcomes and contribute our data to regional and national wildlife databases. This data helps researchers understand bat population dynamics and the effectiveness of wildlife rehabilitation.
Support This Work →Skip Hobbie Productions documented Austin Bat Refuge's rehabilitation process — from intake to release. Watch the full story.
Video: Austin Bat Refuge in Action
Skip Hobbie Productions · Documentary
Our volunteers are the backbone of everything we do. From staffing the education table at Congress Avenue Bridge to assisting with bat care and rehabilitation, there are roles for every skill level and schedule.
We require volunteers to complete a brief orientation and rabies pre-exposure vaccination protocol before working directly with bats. Training is provided for all positions.
Get Involved →We publish detailed annual reports documenting our impact, financials, and outcomes. Transparency is core to our mission.