Sarvey Wildlife Care Center is Looking to Raise Funds for a New Wildlife Hospital
For the past 40 years, the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington, WA has been dedicated to rescuing sick, orphaned, injured, displaced and debilitated wildlife entrusted to their care so that they can successfully return to their native habitat. Because Sarvey is such a driving force in wildlife care and rehabilitation, he plans to build a new hospital to better serve his patients. “We’ve operated from the same buildings since Sarvey was founded,” said Executive Director Suzanne West. “We believe it is time to ask for donations from the community to help us build a new facility.”
The Sarvey Wildlife Care Center receives over 3,000 patients annually, including birds, mammals and reptiles. Each year the center sees over 135 different species which means Sarveys staff must provide medical care, unique formula and nutrition, enrichment, medication and vaccines to each new patient. The care center is currently based in Arlington, where staff work in old repurposed buildings, with the property’s water supply, fire routes and hydrants in need of upgrading and a new hospital being built.
The care center plans to raise 2 million in donations for this new hospital, which they are calling the Wildlife Hospital Capital Campaign. Sarvey is completely non-profit and lives solely on donations and the support of the community. “We have a duty to help wildlife affected by human encroachment,” West said. “As we continue to develop here in Puget Sound, we are destroying habitats, trees are falling, new buildings are emerging and there is nowhere for these animals to go.” With the new hospital, Sarvey staff are planning larger and more isolated spaces on the Intensive care unit and larger rooms for baby birds and mammals.
The Sarvey Wildlife Care Center is a 501(c)3 recognized nonprofit organization founded in 1981 in Everett. About six years after the opening of the rehabilitation center, it became necessary to find a more spacious and appropriate location. Kaye Baxter, Director and Founder, personally purchased 5 acres south of Arlington. With two ponds on the east side of the property secured for deer and waterfowl recreation, and the clinic, education building, eagle flights, and a variety of enclosures on the west half of the property, the land retains its rustic “outdoors.” rural atmosphere. Sarvey also offers educational programs for schools and organizations using a number of their non-releasable birds of prey. The care center accepts orphaned and injured wildlife patients from Snohomish, King, Skagit, Pierce and Iceland counties, but also sees patients from across the state. Most patients are taken directly to their center for treatment by citizens.
For more information about the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center or to donate to the Wildlife Hospital Capital Campaign, visit the appropriate links.
