Animal, Wildlife & Marine Welfare Award – Presented by Animal Planet

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge rescues and rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife so they can return to their natural habitats and thrive. Open since 2018, they have provided care for over 6,000 wild patients and strive to be a voice for wildlife by educating about the importance of conservation and coexistence. In 2022, they admitted over 1,300 wild patients for rehabilitative care and their emergency hotline received almost 5,000 calls. Through their work, released native species can once again fill critical roles in the environment, supporting a healthy ecosystem and sustainable community. Every wild animal deserves care and understanding, and their goal is to give wildlife another chance. 

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network (LMMN) in Charleston, SC is home to year-round resident dolphins and migrating whales. Their mission is to protect local marine mammals through science, outreach and conservation. LMMN engages hundreds of youth and thousands of community members with over forty outreach events each year. They also serve as the primary first responders to over fifty sick and injured dolphins and whales along coastal South Carolina each year.

Manitoba Underdogs Rescue's mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, care for and ultimately place Manitoba's unwanted animals in loving homes. 100% volunteer run and foster-home based, they primarily serve northern Manitoban communities that lack the resources and information to properly control the pet population, leaving countless animals without necessities for survival like food, water, shelter and medical attention. Manitoba Underdogs perform spay and neuter clinics, year-round rescues (even in -40 Celsius temperatures), provide medical care and find fosters and forever homes for these animals in need. 

Founded in 2009, Midwest Animal ResQ (MARQ) is a small foster-based rescue group focused on saving dogs from inhumane conditions. With the help of dedicated supporters and volunteers, MARQ has grown quickly, as has their capacity to serve the animals and people of the greater Kansas City area. Their Raytown, MO adoption center opened in 2015, and their six-acre sanctuary property provides safe housing for animals needing special medical or behavioral help prior to going to their forever homes. Their mission is to complete families “one tail at a time.” 

Sea Turtle, Inc. is a non-profit sea turtle hospital in South Padre Island, Texas, focused on saving and treating injured sea turtles, protecting nesting females and eggs on more than 50 miles of beach and educating more than 250,000 onsite guests a year and over 10 million online enthusiasts. Founded in 1977, their four-tiered mission focuses on the conservation, education, medical care, and applied research for all sea turtle species in the Gulf of Mexico. Their efforts are fueled by hundreds of volunteers driven to save and conserve sea turtles and the beaches they call home.