[SEMCO] IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WILD CARE AND THE FUTURE OF CAPE COD'S WILDLIFE

[Stephanie Ellis]

October 20, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Stephanie Ellis, Executive Director, WILD CARE Inc.
Phone: (650) 319-5491 cell, stephanie at wildcarecapecod.org


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WILD CARE - THE FUTURE OF CAPE COD’S WILDLIFE - October 20th, 2016



*Eastham, MA. October 20, 2016. *The Staff and Board of Wild Care Inc. in
Eastham are deeply saddened by the news of the closure of the Cape Wildlife
Center in Barnstable.  Wild Care has collaborated with the Cape Wildlife
Center for many years, exchanging animals, and sharing expertise to ensure
that staff are cross-trained between organizations, enabling both groups to
provide the best possible animal care Cape-wide. Together the two
rehabilitation centers have offered residents of Cape Cod quality care to
injured, orphaned or ill wildlife in need, from Provincetown to Falmouth.



Wild Care Executive Director Stephanie Ellis stated that geographically,
the two organizations have been positioned to respond quickly and
effectively to the needs of all of the Cape’s wildlife, and have also
provided tremendous educational resources to Cape residents regarding
wildlife encounters.  Educating the public on strategies to avoid
animal-human conflicts and make potential wildlife encounters positive and
mutually beneficial has been an important goal of both Centers. With the
rich diversity of native animals on Cape Cod, practically every visitor and
resident here has had some kind of wildlife encounter, and staff and
volunteers at both the Cape Wildlife Center and Wild Care have helped
to preserve wildlife by reducing human-wildlife conflicts, and by helping
to build tolerance and appreciation for native wildlife that share our
home.



The loss of the Cape Wildlife Center will leave a huge gap in the services
provided to wildlife, and also to the residents of the Cape and
Southeastern MA.  Wild Care Executive Director, Stephanie Ellis, has been
in contact with Deb Millman, Executive Director of the Cape Wildlife
Center, to offer help in any way possible to help with this transition, and
to continue to provide these valuable services to the
public.  Unfortunately, Wild Care is not in a financial position to expand
its facility to absorb the 2,000 additional patients that Cape Wildlife
Center receives annually.  “Wild Care currently admits 800 to 1,400
patients each year, and in our current facility, we do not have room for
expansion,” states Stephanie Ellis.  “Wild Care does not receive state,
federal, or municipal funding. We rely heavily on donations from the
general public and private donors to help us run our wildlife hospital. We
are going to need additional support from the community to care for what
may potentially be hundreds of *additional* songbirds, seabirds, turtles,
and small mammals that come through our door annually due to Cape Wildlife
Center’s closure.” Large mammals will be referred to the New England
Wildlife Center in Weymouth. “They have veterinarians on staff who are
knowledgeable of these species, and also have the facilities that meet the
requirements needed to house large species such as raccoons, skunks,
coyotes, foxes and otters.”



If the public has wildlife-related questions or has found wildlife in need
of rescue, they may contact Wild Care at 508-240-2255
www.wildcarecapecod.org  or the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth,
781-682-4878, www.newildlife.com. To provide monetary support. Please visit
Wild Care’s website at www.wildcarecapecod.org. Donations are much needed
and welcomed.



*WILD CARE’s wildlife rehabilitators treat birds, mammals and reptiles
brought to the center, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild
when they are capable of independent survival. Through public education,
WILD CARE works to prevent wildlife casualties and works to engage the
community in conservation through volunteerism. Since our founding WILD
CARE has accepted over 22,000 wild creatures, representing over 275 species
of native birds, mammals & reptiles. *

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Stephanie Ellis
Executive Director
Wild Care, Inc.
10 Smith Lane
Eastham, MA 02642
www.wildcarecapecod.org

Find us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/WildCareCapeCod/?fref=nf
508-240-2255 office
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