At 64, Bonnie Shipley Peele has turned a childhood experience into a dedicated effort to care for injured and orphaned wildlife from her home in Kent County, Maryland. Operating the Heartstrings Wildlife Orphanage and Rehab from a 105-year-old house, Peele has provided care for hundreds of small animals—including squirrels, rabbits, and opossums—largely funded out of her own pocket.

Peele’s interest in wildlife rehabilitation dates back to when she was 14, after her family cat brought a sick squirrel to her home. With her parents busy, she took it upon herself to nurse the animal back to health, an experience that left a lasting impression. Decades later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a friend reminded her of that childhood act, asking whether she still cared for squirrels. Responding affirmatively, Peele was soon brought four orphaned baby squirrels to care for. She immersed herself in research and joined online communities to learn proper rehabilitation techniques, nursing the squirrels until they were ready to be reintroduced to the wild after about 16 weeks.

Encouraged by this experience, Peele pursued formal training and obtained her license as a wildlife rehabilitator in 2024. The following year, she officially launched Heartstrings Wildlife Orphanage and Rehab as a nonprofit organization. The center focuses on small mammals, many of whom arrive with injuries such as broken limbs or wounds from encounters with domestic pets or local predators like foxes and birds of prey.

Throughout 2025, Peele, supported in part by a helper named Summerlin who assists with wound care and emotional support during difficult cases, rehabilitated 240 animals. In just the first eight months of 2026, the facility has treated 87 animals. Wildlife are often brought to Heartstrings by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, veterinarians, and friends, and Peele reports she refuses to turn away any animal, regardless of the severity of its condition.

For Peele, the work is deeply personal. She is a Stage 4 cancer survivor, and she credits the responsibility and connection she feels in caring for wildlife with playing a crucial role in her remission. She also invests a significant portion of her Social Security income in the animals’ care. “They are the reason I’m in remission,” Peele said. “The animals give me a reason to get up in the morning.”

At any given time, Heartstrings may house two to four dozen animals. In early August, the main floor of Peele’s home was equipped with cages, physical therapy stations, and improvised nests designed to aid the recovery of its inhabitants. Through her ongoing efforts, Peele has created a sanctuary for vulnerable wildlife while finding purpose and healing in her own life.