I have been lucky enough to grow up in an area bordered by parkland on one side and marine life on the other.  Over the years I’ve had numerous encounters with wildlife that has brought a great deal of joy to our neighbourhood. Springtime has always rewarded us with amazing photo opportunities as baby fawns attempt to wander through our yard, bear cubs wrestle in the grass and bobcats hiss and play under the cover of darkness in a nearby cedar tree. The ravens scavenge in our compost, the stellar jays beg for peanuts and the squirrels compete with the songbirds for black-oiled sunflower seeds from the feeder.

But with this much wildlife activity in a semi-urban setting, comes some sadness as well. The raccoon, paralyzed by a hit and run, the juvenile deer with a wasting disease common among the species, the goose with a broken jaw, the seagull with a compound leg fracture. Some animals fared better in terms of outcomes than others as they were cared for by a number of different individuals and agencies.  These kinds of “search and rescue” efforts that I’ve witnessed in my llife-time have impacted me in a way that makes me want to give back to the organizations that exist solely for the purpose of rescuing and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife. 

The Wildlife Rescue Association has been assisting wildlife, taking in “patients” from around the Lower Mainland and sometimes even beyond, since 1979. The first time my family used its services was for a squirrel we rescued at the roadside on a busy street in Vancouver. Through the years we’ve transported an assortment of other injured critters to this amazing facility on the banks of Burnaby Lake.

Wildlife Rescue is open 7 days a week and provides a telephone helpline as well for those in need of assistance when dealing with an injured or orphaned animal.  They depend almost entirely on volunteers and have an extensive, on-going wish list that you can contribute to. For more information visit wildliferescue.ca.