Conference 2025
2025 Annual NYSWRC Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference
November 13th-16th
Radisson hotel, Corning NY
Regular Registration is OPEN September 1 through October 19th. Late Registration begins October 20th.
Hotel Information:
Hotel rooms have been blocked at the Radisson Corning. Please use this link when booking your room.
MEALS must be booked separately through our ticket sales. Your Full Conference Registration includes Saturday night’s Banquet Dinner. All other meals must be purchased either as individual meals or through The Full Conference Meal Package which includes 6 meals (Friday all 3 meals, Saturday all 3 meals and Sunday Breakfast.) Meals are served buffet style. Gluten free plated meals are available.
Our conference will feature expert wildlife professionals, veterinarians, and rehabilitators presenting exciting topics in wildlife rehabilitation, as well as an irreplaceable networking opportunity to meet others in your field. It is intended for licensed wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians, nuisance wildlife control officers, veterinary technicians, and those who want to become more involved with wildlife. From beginners to expert rehabilitators, NYSWRC has something for everyone!
Continuing Education credits from the NY Dept. of Education are available. Certificates of Attendance will be issued one month following the conference.
GENERAL LECTURES are included with your registration fee. Walk in and out of the concurrent sessions that interest you the most. Up to 5 continuous tracts of lectures take place each day, plus a special all-day Sunday session is available just for veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
SPECIALTY SESSIONS and LABS require additional fees and/or pre-registration: Rabies Vector Species, Animal Basic Care, Fluid Therapy, Tube-Feeding, Medicine, Math & Me, the Sunday Veterinarian/Vet Tech session and more.
Please be aware that some labs/workshops will include handling animal carcasses so that you may gain valuable hands-on experience while under the supervision of experts. As in all rehabilitation, there are inherent risks involved with handling wildlife, dead or alive. NYSWRC will provide nitrile gloves and surgical masks, or you may provide your own safety equipment during the course.
The conference offers rehabbers the opportunity to take the 8 hour RVS licensing course- the first step to obtaining your RVS license in NY State to rehabilitate raccoons, bats, and skunks. You can learn more here. This session runs all day on Thursday.
This year, we will have a special Vet Tech tract on Saturday afternoon. We also offer our Sunday Veterinary session for veterinarians and vet techs-only.
SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES include the Arrival Icebreaker, Board Game Room, Friday Night Music, NYSWRC Annual Meeting and banquet, daily meals and coffee breaks . Take advantage of this time to network with your colleagues. Get ready to mingle, trade tips, and make new friends throughout the whole weekend!
SATURDAY EVENING AUCTION & RAFFLE: Support NYSWRC by donating to our famous auction and raffle! To donate, please contact Matt Zymanek at matt@hawkcreek.org. Everything is welcome: wildlife baskets, tee shirts, mugs, artwork, medical supplies, animal equipment, cages, etc.
VENDOR AREA: In between sessions, take some time to peruse our vendor area and do some early holiday shopping and stock up on rehab supplies! Vendor area will be open all day Friday and Saturday.
NYSWRC SHARING TABLE: Be sure to visit our Sharing Table at our conference Friday to Sunday! If you have any new or used rehab/wildlife related items you’d like to share or pass on, please bring them to Conference! Please do not bring any dirty items or medications to the table.
Conference LEcture Schedule to be posted October 1!
2025 Keynote Speaker
Brad Timm
Brad Timm, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director of the Northeast Wildlife Team
Keynote Title: “From Awe to Action: Fascinating Wildlife Facts & How to Help Them”
Brad Timm is a wildlife ecologist with over 20 years of wildlife research experience in the northeastern U.S. Much of his research has focused on the ecology and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, though he has also published research on Eastern Coyotes, Mexican Spotted Owls, invertebrate communities, and more.
In 2024, Brad founded and launched the Northeast Wildlife Team, an organization focused on: 1) educating the general public about the wildlife of the northeastern U.S., and 2) educating and empowering people to take simple actions around their homes and communities to help wildlife. The organization uses a variety of outlets to help spread this information including in-person presentations and programs across a diversity of venues, readily-accessible and regularly-updated website content, free online Zoom presentations by experts, and more. Brad is the author of a recently published (2024) book "Wildlife Out Your Window", an accessible guide containing a page of interesting facts for each of 100 common wildlife species of the Northeast, and ways that people can help these animals; he is also the author of an upcoming book “America Is Wild!” (release date: March 3, 2026), an illustrated guide to native animals and plants of North America, including nearly 200 animal and 200 plant species.
Brad has a Ph.D. and an M.S., both in Wildlife Conservation, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology & Management from the University of Rhode Island.
Lee Baek @200_TATTOO
NYSWRC is honored to feature the work of Lee Baek @200_tattoo as our conference artist. Lee’s shop is in Corning, NY. Lee will be hosting a Flash Event during our 2025 Conference.