The mission of a wildlife rehabilitation
clinic is to care for injured, ill or orphaned wildlife
in order to return healthy animals to the wild. We
are drawn to this profession by our love of animals
and our concern for the suffering of our wild neighbors
caused mainly by human activity. It’s a leap
of faith to open a clinic since there is no government
funding, no financial assistance of any kind, and
no guarantee that donations will cover the expenses.
Most of us who care for animals in need think of
what we do primarily in terms of helping animals,
but it’s more than that. For every call resulting
in an animal brought in for care, we receive two
or three from people with wildlife related concerns.
What we do not only helps animals, but the people
who care about them as well. We provide a service.
And while there is never a charge, there is always
a cost – at our clinic, food alone cost nearly
$7000 in 2008. Raising one baby robin from a young
nestling to release as a juvenile costs about $50 – more
if it needs medication.
White Flicker Wild Bird Rehabilitation Clinic cares
for approximately 400 birds each year. We are staffed
by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, an assistant,
and a number of volunteers which varies from year
to year, none of whom receive a salary.
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