SLO County Wildlife E.R

by Pamela Hartmann

Pacific Wildlife Care in Morro Bay would make for a terrific primetime TV hospital series, full of drama, heartache, medical mysteries, surprises, and humor.

Veterinarian Shannon Riggs performs surgeries. Staff and volunteers provide day-to-day care in the clinic. Home rehabilitators care for opossums, bunnies, songbirds, bats. The Education Team gives presentations to the public. Hotline volunteers counsel people on dealing with wildlife. Everyone’s goal is the same: returning healthy wildlife to the wild. Almost 3,000 patients arrive annually, brought by members of the public or the Rescue/Transport Team. These animals have been hit by cars, poisoned, shot, orphaned, oiled, or caught by cats, dogs, fishing line, and barbed wire. At any given time, patients fill the Intake Area, Baby Bird Room, Isolation Room, Seabird Room, outside aviaries, mammal caging, and pools. Every animal – and every human caring for them – has a story. Hollywood, are you listening?

Contact Pacific Wildlife Care 7 days a week at 805-543-WILD (9453).