In the News

Wildlife Shelter Cares for Injured or Orphaned Animals
date posted: December 27 2005

Lake Tahoe Report #119
May 30, 2005
By John Cobourn and Heather Segale


As more people migrate from urban areas into wildlife habitat, the likelihood of interaction between humans and other species increases. Sometimes these encounters are enjoyable and positive, but often accidents happen that injure wildlife or humans. Wildlife Shelter, Inc. (WSI) exists to respond to such injuries, providing a place for people to bring orphaned, injured or sick wildlife for treatment and release back to the wild.

The shelter is located in Homewood on Tahoe’s west shore, at 5285 Westlake Blvd. During its 20-year history, it has helped rescue and rehabilitate nearly 8,000 animals.
Connie Stevens, the center’s director, says there are things we can do to minimize the impact of our presence on the wildlife that live at Lake Tahoe. “One of the best things you can do to protect wildlife is to keep your dog on a leash when you take him for a walk. Dogs naturally enjoy chasing wildlife, but what often results is the separation of young from their parents, which often leads to the death of the animals. Baby geese and ducks are particularly vulnerable to this fate.”

Another tip for residents is to keep cats indoors or take them outdoors on a leash. Cats are hunters by instinct, and if let outside for long, they often return with a dead or injured bird or mammal. Even when cats kill mice or chipmunks, they are upsetting the predator-prey relationship of the wild, meaning that some owls or hawks could go hungry.

Stevens also has some recommendations for rescuing sick or injured wildlife:
• Cover the animal with a towel approximately its size from head to toe. This protects your hands and the animal.
• Place the animal in a box relative to animal's size with another towel on the bottom. Use towels without loose threads or holes. Punch holes in the top of the box beforehand.
• Close the top of the box. Write your name, address, telephone number, and where the animal was found on the box. DO NOT feed or give the animal any water, as that may complicate its injuries or recovery.
• Call WSI, (530) 546-1211, and follow the directions given. Volunteers are on call 24 hours a day for emergencies.
• Never risk injury to yourself or others. Call WSI before attempting to rescue raptors or medium to large animals.

To help residents and visitors learn more about local wildlife, Stevens holds “Bike Trail Talks” every Saturday, noon – 1 p.m., between the 4th of July and Labor Day. These free presentations by WSI volunteers begin on the San Souci Bike Trail, adjacent to the clinic behind the Rockwood Lodge in Homewood. The new schedule will be posted soon on the Web site: Wildlifeshelter.org.

The Lake Tahoe Report is a collaborative effort of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the California State Water Resource Control Board. For more information, contact Heather Segale, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, (530) 583-3279, or logon to www.lteec.org.