Help us RE-OPEN our Doors for Wildlife in Need in Peterborough and the Kawarthas!

What is the Kawartha Wildlife Centre?

The Kawartha Wildlife Centre (KWC), founded in 2017, is a volunteer-run, charitable wildlife rehabilitation organization located in the heart of the Kawarthas. Our mission is to support conservation efforts through public education and ecologically responsible rehabilitation of native wildlife in the Kawarthas and surrounding areas.

Although our facility is located in Ennismore, we have provided service to animals in need as far north as Apsley, as south as Port Hope, as west as Lindsay, and as east as Norwood. Since the organization began caring for wildlife patients in 2019, we have accepted over 2,000 wildlife patients (134 species) under authorization from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. From the time of our authorization, our annual number of patients increased by 349%, with every indication that this trend will continue in subsequent years given increasing pressures on wildlife from human activities, climate change, and more.

 When and why did KWC stop accepting patients?

In Ontario, only wildlife custodians (authorized wildlife rehabilitators) are legally able to provide wildlife rehabilitation. In June 2023, our volunteer Authorized Wildlife Custodian (AWC) resigned to pursue new opportunities and we were forced to close our rehabilitation doors since this is a requirement within the province of Ontario.  We have since recruited a new one as part of our re-opening plan, but this can no longer solely be volunteer work.

What additional factors led to KWC’s closure? 

There is no government funding for wildlife rehabilitation in the province of Ontario, so all of our bills, treatment, medication, and food are paid for by donations received from the public and our community.

Because of this, KWC has always run on a volunteer-only model, which over time became increasingly ineffective, given the increasing patient demand (25% consecutive increase in patient load over the last three years, 2000+ patients) coupled with the effects of the pandemic and social-economic conditions that have reduced volunteerism. This created additional burden on our existing volunteer pool, leading to burnout and compassion fatigue.

Our Plan For Re-opening

Our goal is to reopen the centre with the proper foundation to have a sustainable future that provides top quality care to patients and is open and available to support the community with wildlife emergencies. We are fortunate that we have a fully functioning wildlife centre, equipped and supplied through careful effort over the last six years and we do not need equipment, rental space, or supplies to reopen the centre. What we need is a team to run it.

How can business owners and community members help the centre reopen?

In October, KWC launched a two-pronged fundraising campaign – one part focused on a personal donation campaign being promoted through social media, and the second part focused on engaging with local business owners who are willing to support KWC’s reopening.

The total funds looking to be raised from the two campaigns is $250,000, with a minimum goal of $200,000.   If we do not reach our minimum fundraising goal, KWC will have to close its doors permanently. 

Personal donation campaign:

Canada Helps: If you would like to make a donation to KWC, you can do so through Canada Helps, and searching for ‘Kawartha Wildlife Centre’.

Pledges:

If you’re a local business owner and a dedicated supporter of wildlife in Ontario, we are seeking pledges to meet our fundraising goal.  These pledges are for any amount greater than $1,000. We will keep a pledge tracker on our website and will only seek collection for pledges if we complete our minimum fundraising goal of $200,000 total (including pledges and personal donations combined).

Pledging comes with a lot of great perks, like:

• Tax Write-Offs: As a registered charitable organization, you will get a tax receipt for any donation you make to KWC.

• Publicity: There are many different ways we can partner with your organization.

• Community good-will: By investing in an organization like KWC, you’re not only investing in your community and supporting the varied wildlife that make Ontario special, you’re also showing your community members that you care about philanthropy and sustainability.

• Keeping Ontario wild: Supporting the rehabilitation of native Ontario wildlife is a key part of keeping this area biodiverse, which is good for the environment and the people who live, play, and cottage in the Kawarthas!

Please consider supporting wildlife in need this giving season and helping us help them! To find out more about our campaign and donate to wildlife in need, please visit: www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca