Imagine your outside walking and you come upon an injured animal, let's just say an owl. What do you do? It obviously needs help. Who will care for this injured creature? You call the police, and they inturn call the wildlife department. Is that the end? No, that animal will be brought to a wildlife rehabilitator. We are the only ones allowed by law, to care for injured, orphaned and sick wildlife. That state wildlife person is just picking it up.
This is the reality of all wildlife related injuries and illnesses and the animals that suffer.
My name is Debbie Pappas and I am a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator. My facility is in Utah and we cover a huge portion of Utah as their are only 8 rehabilitators in our entire state. I am one of 3 facilities that will take whatever the state wildlife agency will bring us. We care for approximately 275 patients a year, with that number growing every year. We have a handful of volunteers, spread out through this vast area we cover. Most of our patients are victims of vehicle impacts and require x-rays and complex orthopedic surgeries. These are provided by our veterinarian who works UNDER the direction of my permit. This is how wildlife rehabilitation works. The permit holder is responsible for all actions needed for their patients.
I am seeking help with our veterinary expenses as all wildlife rehabilitation work is unpaid by any agency anywhere in the country. We rehabilitators work WITH different agencies, but are not funded by any of them. We must find our own funding since the wildlife we care for 'belongs' to no one so there isn't anyone to pay for their needs while in our care. Most people believe that their states wildlife department takes care of these things, but that is NOT correct. Their job ends after they drop off the patient to a rehabilitator. They do not have the funds or the personnel with the appropriate backgrounds to do this sort of work. That's why rehabilitators are crucial. Without us, wildlife would be left to die or the public would 'try' to save these animals and there would be much damage done. My background is in human medicine, having spent over 20 years in the medical field and about the same working with animals. Apprenticing with other rehabilitators, I decided to start my own facility. I did so back in 2001 and was the first rehabilitator in Utah to have to take (and pass) rigorous testing to prove my abilities and knowledge. Proudly, I did this and was given those permits under the new regulations.
Here at Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation, we have many expenses, as do all rehabilitators. We are seeking your help with our veterinary expenses. With this obligation being met, we can focus on other pressing issues and expenses. Many of our patients require surgeries and most require x-rays. Most patients come in after a collision with a vehicle. As you can imagine, x-rays are needed to determine the extent of the damage for these collisions. We also deal with many other issues such and gunshot injuries, poisonings, jaw trap injuries and diseases. Blood tests are also part of our veterinary expenses. They can help us diagnose many things. Without this type of help, well, you can imagine, the animals survival rates would drop drastically. Just as with humans, proper medical care, is crucial to survival in these life or death situations.
Our work is unpaid. We work 365 days a year, 24/7. The expenses we have are necessary to do the type of work we do. These creatures come to us because they are in trouble and needing help. With our help, we care for and provide what that particular animal needs with the goal of release back into the wild.
With $6,000, we can pay our veterinarian for all expenses our organization creates with his clinic. We base this on past years and those numbers. Our veterinarian already donates much of his services, but not all. Help us help those wild creatures that need our help to live a normal wild life. Quality care and expertise in what we provide along with our veterinarian, give them a chance they would never have wilthout wildlife rehabilitator. It gives them their Second Chance.
Thank you,
Debbie Pappas, Founder and Director
Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation, Price, Utah
