Lawton, Oklahoma Community Urged To Help Longtime Wildlife Rehabilitator

Recent developments involving longtime animal wildlife rehabilitator, Wallie Breaden, have Lawton, Oklahoma's community members upset and calling for a change. Although the City of Lawton has addressed the concerns, community members are still raising money and awareness to get Breaden back to saving animals once again.

Lawton Animal Welfare asks community members not to take wildlife in need to Breaden.

Earlier this week, the Lawton Animal Welfare released a statement via Facebook, notifying community members to stop sending wildlife to [Wallie] Breaden. They stated that "Mr. Breaden does not have State or local license to handle such animals nor does he have the facilities to house these animals." Instead, they urged community members to contact a Game Warden or to contact the Superintendent at the Animal Shelter.

The statement seemingly came from left field, as many animal lovers in Lawton have worked closely with Breaden for years to ensure orphaned and injured wildlife were cared for.

In previous years, when members of the community couldn't care for injured or sick wildlife, Wallie Breaden and Breaden Wildlife Rehabilitation was the go-to place to take them.

City of Lawton concerned for animal's care due to property conditions.

Recently, however, there have been concerns about the conditions that Breaden was keeping his current animals in. In a statement from the city of Lawton, they explained that their concern for the animals was about more than just the fact that Breaden had not renewed his license for rehabilitating.

"Beyond the wildlife concerns, the City has been engaged in ongoing enforcement regarding property maintenance at this location. Two notices of junk and debris were issued to the property in 2024.

 

Per Lawton City Code 15-2-204.B.4, the City is legally authorized to conduct a no-notice abatement, in cases where a nuisance condition recurs within one year of prior enforcement action."

Since there were issues regarding conditions, the city of Lawton removed two owls, two raccoons, a Canadian goose, two domestic geese, and six roosters from his care.

Despite the city removing the animals, some have heard that Animal Welfare officials are optimistic about Breaden continuing to save animals if the property can be cleaned and if he is able to obtain a new license.

How can Lawton's community help Breaden get back on track to saving animals?

Someone who witnessed Breaden's property firsthand posted on the Lawton Grapevine, admitted that the property did need attention, but there is still hope that Breaden will be allowed to continue saving animals in the future. "At the end of the day, Wallie needs our help guys," they said.

In an effort to cover the cost of fines imposed by the city of Lawton for the conditions of the property, as well as the cost of cleaning and renovating the property, some folks have been raising money to be donated to Breaden.

There is also a petition to allow Breaden to renew his license to rehabilitate wildlife in Oklahoma. For those interested in signing the petition, you can click here.