Ninety percent of the animals who come into our center suffer from injuries that are the result of negative interactions with people. We work to educate the community about wildlife and how each of us can peacefully co-exist with our wild neighbors. In addition, SFWC is a teaching hospital that provides an intern/extern program for veterinary students, future rehabilitators, and others looking to pursue a career in any of the life sciences.
On average, our wildlife hospital sees 10,000 patients per year ranging from over 250 different species and accepts both native and non-native wildlife. The SFWC provides quality, professional care to sick and injured native and non-native birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians from throughout the tri-county area. From impact injuries, abandonment to animal attacks, the cases we receive at the Center are extremely diverse. Each patient receives care based on their individual recovery treatment programs for a few days, weeks, or up to several months. This involves several hours a day for feeding, medical care, caging development, exercise, and behavior monitoring and enhancement.
We have a standard intake process for each patient, including a full examination with radiographs and lab work if needed. Once completed, we determine the animal’s appropriate fluid therapy and nutritional support, as well as any medical treatment or follow-up that may be needed. Depending on the condition of the patient, once the intake process is complete it will either go into our Clinic intensive care unit, Wildlife Ward supportive holding, or out into our specialized habitats. We closely monitor all patients in rehabilitation as they recover and provide ongoing care and checkups as needed. Each patient’s rehabilitation plan is rooted in the natural history of the species and release criteria is based on what abilities the animal will need to survive in the wild. The patient is released once it meets all our health and behavioral criteria, and their finders are welcome to join us.