SCWRC
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CONTACT

Animal Emergency Hotline:

707-526-9453

 
Office: 707-992-0274

Exclusion: 707-992-0276

Location:
403 Mecham Rd,

Petaluma, CA 94952

Mailing Address:
PO Box 448,
Cotati, CA 94931   

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Updates

Please send in your volunteer update form if you haven't already! 

This update lets us know you still want to volunteer for SCWR, makes sure our records are  correct, and allows us to connect you with the resources you need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classes are Posted!

If you would like to volunteer for SCWR or improve your skills, you can find the 2015 Class Schedule right here.

 

 

 

 

 

 
IN BRIEF
Wildlife Tours:  Saturdays May-Sept.12 and 2 pm *October- April 2 pm only*

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

 

Dear Supporters,

 

Thanks to all of your financial support in 2014, we were able to take in 1,209 animals. That breaks down to about $273 per wildlife patient as our annual operating budget was $330,229 last year. Here is the breakdown of wildlife patients by species:

 

               

Species                                Number

Bat                                            79

Bird                                         320

Bobcat                                        4

Coyote                                      13

Fox                                             84

Opossum                                181

Otter                                            0

Skunk                                         73

Squirrel                                   155

Rabbit                                        49

Raccoon                                  214

Other*                                       37                          

(*includes mice, rats, moles, reptiles, porcupines, muskrats, minks and weasels)   

 

We also want to thank all of our supporters for contributing to the 2014 Spring Appeal and the Year End Appeal. The Spring Appeal brought in $18,279 and the Year End Appeal has made $31,205 for a total of $49,484 -- almost $50,000!

 

We want to express our complete gratitude to all of you who supported Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue last year. Let's do it again! Spring is already speeding towards us with all of its orphaned babies. We will keep you updated on our 2015 challenges and accomplishments as they occur right here.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Doris Duncan
Executive Director 

Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
Registered 501(c)(3) Non Profit.

 

Welcome Lucy!

 
 


 

When our beloved education skunk, Stevie, passed away last fall, we wondered who would come to live in his enclosure and teach children about the wonders of skunks or opossums. We now have our next Education Ambassador Opossum and her name is Lucy. 


 

Lucy was found by a family as an orphaned baby opossum next to her roadkilled mother. The family then raised Lucy and kept her as an illegal pet for about a year. She slept in the kids' beds, was litterbox trained, and we were told she loved raspberry yogurt.  When the family moved, they could no longer keep her and gave her to friends with the hope they would find a home for her.  Luckily, they found us! 


 

Lucy is healthy, although pudgy, but is not suitable to release back to the wild because of her unusual upbringing. We suspect she may have been an indoor only pet, because her paws were so smooth and clean. She even  startled at the sound of a snapping twig when we took her outside. She'll undergo a gradual transition to outdoor life in Stevie's enclosure. Her disposition makes her a perfect Educational Ambassador and we are delighted to have her. Welcome, Lucy!



 

The Fox on the Fence
 

 


We received a call to rescue a fox who was stuck on a barbed wire fence. He had tried to climb over the fence, but got his paw stuck on the barbed wire, and in the process of trying to escape, nearly severed his foot.  The only solution in these kind of cases with extensive tissue damage is to amputate the damaged limb, which often makes an animal unsuitable for release to the wild. This fox was lucky. It was a back leg. 


 

In previous years we had cared for a fox who had to have a rear leg amputated, and we thought was going to be an education animal. Instead, the fox proved it could run fast,climb, and was still very wild. We released that fox and neighbors monitored it. It was seen active on three legs.  This fox taught us that a missing rear leg is a survivable disability for a wild fox. 


 

Central Petaluma Animal Hospital's Dr.Carter took on this surgery for us and the fox is expected to make a complete recovery. It has already climbed onto the upper ledge of its enclosure. Once the wound heals, the fur grows over, and the fox has some time to develop strength and agility with its new body shape, we expect to release it back to the wild. 


 

We're happy we could help him, but his surgery was expensive, costing $750 even with the deep discount the veterinarian gave us. If you'd like to make a donation to help us cover his surgery, click the Donate button on the top left of this newsletter. Thank you!