22-05-2025
National Wildlife Centre's new Caledon hospital already ‘overrun with animals'
A new wildlife hospital in Caledon that soft-launched about a month ago is already overrun with animals needing care.
Dr. Sherri Cox told the Caledon Enterprise her team 'scrambled' to get the medical facility ready to 'help the community.'
'We haven't had our official grand opening, but we wanted to at least accept babies that are orphaned and hurt,' the wildlife veterinarian explained. 'But the floodgates have opened, and we are just overrun with animals.'
According to Cox, the new National Wildlife Centre field hospital has already seen around 150 patients since its soft launch on April 22. More than half are baby raccoons, squirrels and rabbits. Meanwhile, it is also attending to adult animals, including turtles, goslings, songbirds and grosbeaks.
'We thought it would be quiet because our volunteers only started May 1, but we were getting so many calls,' she added.
The
National Wildlife Centre
(NWC), founded by Cox and her husband Octavio Perez in 2014, has cared for more than 5,000 animals via a mobile hospital in the past 11 years. But it wasn't open to the public.
The new permanent facility serving Caledon and the surrounding communities, as well as wildlife rehabilitators (those authorized to provide temporary care) across Ontario, is projected to service 5,000 annually.
Although it's open to the public, Cox advised people to call the NWC hotline before bringing any animal.
'We need to connect with the owner/finder to gather information and determine if the animal can be brought in,' she said.
'Don't just leave them on the doorstep. As per Ministry of Natural Resources regulations, animals left on the doorstep must be euthanized, which is horrible,' she continued.
'Also, we don't have the space to take in every orphaned animal.'
Cox said the new centre has unique capabilities, which account for its high demand.
'Most rehabilitators are not veterinarians. We happen to be both,' she explained. 'We're also authorized to treat all species.'
According to Cox, she is one of the few veterinarians in Canada certified in avian medicine and surgery.
'We just had a bald eagle flown to us for surgery,' she said. '… We do more complicated surgeries; that's why they're (the rehabilitators) coming to us.'
An orphaned baby rabbit being fed by NWC rehabilitation manager Angie Furniss.
Cox said the 2,800-square-foot field hospital, sitting on an 100-acre property, needs to be ten times bigger to help more animals, and Phase 2 will provide that space.
The
hospital
was Phase 1 of NWC's Project Evolution. A centre of excellence which would serve as its headquarters and a training hub for next-generation wildlife specialists across Canada comes next.
'We rely completely on the public and
grantors
for funds,' she said. 'We desperately need more space and more funds.'
Cox said each outdoor cage or enclosure can cost around $1,500, and the NWC has currently prioritized these over storage cabinets. Food and medicines are also expensive.
'We're doing our best to keep up, but we're limited by funding,' she said.
She appealed to the public for donations.
'Consider becoming monthly donors,' she said.
Cox also advised the public to help reduce ways in which wildlife is harmed.
'Speed and vehicle strikes (are) the number one reason,' Cox said. 'Slow down!'
She also suggested window glass applications (like decals) which act as bird collision deterrents.
'Ontario's wildlife is in trouble and a lot of it is due to actions from us. Let's all work together to help,' she said.
If you find a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal in Caledon, Peel Region and the surrounding areas, call the NWC hotline at
416-577-4372
.
For more information or to make a donation, visit the National Wildlife Centre
website
.
