[SEMCO] IMMEDIATE: Wild Care Animal Admissions Steady Despite COVID

Tue Apr 21 13:28:51 EDT 2020

Please find PR below and attached. Thank you! Se
Photos: Eastern Gray Squirrels, Red Phalarope, Osprey by Wild Care, Inc.
Rabbit photo by Kerry Reid.
[image: Wild Care Eastern Gray Sqrls 042120.jpg]
[image: Wild Care Rabbits by Kerry Reid 042120.jpeg]
[image: Wild Care Red Phalarope 022120.JPG]
[image: Wild Care Osprey 022120.JPG]

April 21, 2020

                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Stephanie Ells, Executive Director, WILD CARE Inc. /cell, (650) 319-5491

*ANIMAL ADMISSIONS STEADY*

*DESPITE COVID QUARANTINE*

###

*Eastham, MA. *Wild Care, Inc., is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
center located in Eastham. Wild Care is dedicated to wildlife
rehabilitation, public education & outreach to prevent wildlife casualties.

“Wild Care provides an essential service to the Cape Cod community and our
wildlife. Despite less foot and vehicular traffic due to quarantine,
animals are still being impacted in their environment. Our doors remain
open during this pandemic, and animals are arriving every single day.”
states Stephanie Ellis, Wild Care Executive Director. “In the past week,
Wild Care Staff rescued an injured *Osprey* from Dennis, received a *Red
Phalarope* from Orleans - an oceanic species, rarely seen from shore, and
received an adult *Virginia Opossum* that was hit-by-a-car.” The opossum
was deceased but had two live babies in her pouch. The majority of the
animals Wild Care is receiving are orphaned squirrels and rabbits.

“The wildlife baby season is upon us,” states Ellis. People are well
intentioned, but frequently kidnap young animals that they believe may be
orphaned. We have tips on our website and Facebook page (wildcarecapecod.org,
@Wild Care Cape Cod) to help you determine when a baby animal truly needs
assistance. For the safety of our staff, our hours on-site are limited &
the influx of “healthy” babies is challenging to accommodate. To manage the
influx, our licensed wildlife rehabilitation staff and licensed volunteers
are taking orphans home to provide care. With this in mind, our goal is to
provide people with helpful guidelines to avoid displacing wildlife
*unnecessarily* during this critical time when resources are low.”

“I anticipated we would see a significant reduction in the numbers of
animals being impacted during COVID, a time of reprieve for wildlife in a
sense. But this has not been the case,” states Ellis. “Wild Care received
77 patients in the month of April as of the 19th, compared with 77 animals
on April 19, 2019. Our Wildlife Helpline has been ringing off the hook with
over 457 calls so far this month. There has also been a surprising increase
in animal vehicle strikes compared with April 2019, despite Governor
Baker’s “Stay at Home” advisory in Massachusetts.”

“If ever there was a positive side to this pandemic, it is that COVID-19
*is *inspiring people to get outdoors, and experience the beauty of nature
and our interconnectedness with wildlife, “ states Ellis. “People are
seeking nature as a grounding place during this time of confinement and
social distancing. My hope is that after this pandemic, this newfound love
for the environment will foster a lifelong commitment in people to preserve
wildlife and their habitats.”

“We realize that many people are experiencing financial hardship, and
precedence should be taken to contribute to those in most desperate need.
If you are able, donations are needed while we continue our mission and
operations during COVID-19. Please visit our website at
www.wildcarecapecod.org to donate, or to view our Wish List. Donations can
also be mailed to Wild Care, Inc. 10 Smith Ln. Eastham, MA 02642. Please
check our Facebook page daily, @Wild Care Cape Cod to find more tips on how
you can help to reduce impacts on wildlife.”

If you have an animal in distress, please call ahead. Wild Care is
responding to their Wildlife Helpline remotely and on-site between the
hours of 9AM and 5PM. (After 5PM, please call the Friends of Cape Wildlife
Hotline, 508-375-3700.)”

###

ABOUT WILD CARE:

Wild Care’s mission is to treat injured, ill and orphaned native wildlife
for release, to prevent wildlife casualties through public education and
live counseling, and to engage the community in conservation, through
volunteerism. Since our founding, Wild Care has

accepted over 27,000 wild creatures, representing 275 species of native
birds, mammals, and reptiles. On average, Wild Care receives over 1,800
wild animals per year for treatment. If you encounter injured, orphaned or
ill wildlife please call Wild Care’s “Wildlife Helpline” at 508-240- 2255.
For more information about Wild Care’s programs, events or to make a
donation please visit our website: www.wildcarecapecod.org.

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>!
508-240-2255 office
<http://www.wildcarecapecod.org/>
   <http://bit.ly/wildcaresubscription>
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