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About the Wildlife In
Need Center
[Rehabilitate]
[Educate]
[Participate]
Wildlife rehabilitation is the treatment and care of injured,
diseased, orphaned, or displaced indigenous wildlife, and the
subsequent return of healthy viable animals to appropriate habitats
in the wild. At the Wildlife In Need Center we answer over
10,000 phone calls from people asking for advice or help with
wildlife issues and admit over 3,000 animals annually. We also
conduct educational programs in schools, for scout groups, and for
church and civic groups.
The Center is run
primarily by volunteers and a very small staff, operating 365 days a
year. We receive no funding from county, state, or federal
governments. We run extensively on private contributions,
primarily from individual donors, but also from corporate
foundations and private foundation grants.
What We Do
Rehabilitate:
Ours is the only wildlife treatment facility outside of Milwaukee
County that accepts all species of Wisconsin wildlife, annually
treating up to 3,000 animals of over 130 species. Nearly 35,000
injured, sick or orphaned animals have passed through the Wildlife
in Need Center’s doors since January 1, 1994. 85% of these animals
were admitted because of interactions with humans.
[I
have a wildlife emergency] [I
want to become a rehabilitator] [I
need more resources]
Educate:
Our staff and volunteers currently provide over 100 programs for
classrooms, youth groups, civic, and community organizations
annually. Utilizing our educational ambassador animals and hands-on
activities as well as video and PowerPoint technology we educate
over 8,000 people a year representing a wide variety of audiences
about the importance of respecting our wild neighbors and what we
can do to help them. Our facility is staffed and available to help
every day, including weekends and most holidays. When we aren’t
available we have a helpful website and regularly answer questions
regarding our wild neighbors through our blog. Additionally, our
volunteers and staff answer thousands of wildlife questions over the
telephone annually.
[Schedule
a program] [Meet
our educational ambassadors] [I
need a wildlife solution]
Participate:
The Wildlife in Need Center works with volunteer, civic and business
partners regularly. Scout groups complete projects to earn merits
that also benefit the Center; local businesses invite our
ambassadors out to celebrate special occasions; junior volunteers
are given the opportunity to work hands-on with animals through our
Baby Bird Feeding Program; and area humane societies not only rely
on us to provide care for wildlife brought into their facilities,
they also invite our educational team to help present humane
education programs to children and their supporters. In addition,
the Center has a long standing relationship with Lad Lake, not only
providing educational programming for the school, but also acting as
a work site for their resident employment program. Beyond these
partnerships and special projects over 100 volunteers of every age
help to feed and care for our patients all year long. These
volunteers helped us earn recognition as the volunteer organization
of the year for Waukesha County in 2003.
[Become a volunteer] [Become
and intern] [Support our
partnerships]
The History of
Rehabilitation
For centuries, well-meaning individuals have tried to care for
injured or orphaned wildlife. The results were often sad.
Medical care that worked with humans did not always carry over to all
animals. Diets did not correspond with what the animals would
need and find in the wild. Orphans would not get the proper
socialization with others of their kind. Many animals raised
became imprinted on humans (believed that they also were humans) or
habituated to them. Rarely were these animals properly
prepared to survive on their own in the wild. In time, success
stories and techniques were shared among rehabilitators. Small
rehabilitation centers started appearing in the United States and
other countries. Papers were published and workshops were
held. In the last twenty years, this field has grown
significantly. Organizations have been formed to facilitate
communication between rehabilitators with the goal of increased
success rates. Today is an exciting day for the field of
rehabilitation; universities are looking at developing curriculums
designed to standardize learning in the field, large centers are
gaining national recognition on a regular basis and with advanced
technology and collaboration techniques available, the research
being completed at centers like WINC will help to benefit more
wildlife than ever before.
How to Become a
Wildlife Rehabilitator
Rehabilitation in the state of Wisconsin requires a state license
and in the case of birds a federal permit as well. To become a
rehabilitator you will need to gain experience, obtain a mentor and
go through the certification process. This organization of the
state program ensures that those helping our wild neighbors are
giving the best care possible. If you are interested in becoming a wildlife rehabilitator please
contact the Wildlife In Need Center at (262) 968-5075 or email us at
contact@helpingwildlife.org.
For additional
information on the certification process visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Website at:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/whealth/rehab/index.htm |
