Wildlife First aid Clinic for ACT wildlife

Wildlife First aid Clinic for ACT wildlife

One of the most difficult things that small charities have to contend with is securing the funds to purchase large assets that allow them to carry out their work effectively and efficiently. So, ACT Wildlife was delighted to be the recipient of a grant from the Foundation of National Parks & Wildlife to purchase a Wildlife First Aid Clinic. This clinic will allow our volunteers and veterinary professionals to provide treatment to wildlife in the event of a large scale emergency and as part of our daily operations caring for injured wildlife.

Previously animal assessment and emergency treatment has taken place in the field and in the homes of volunteers and carers. While this has worked until now, the hailstorms in February 2020 demonstrated a need for an increased capacity to respond to large numbers of injured wildlife.

This repurposed shipping container is fitted out with stainless steel work benches, plenty of storage space for equipment and has a sink area, fridge and has heating and cooling. It will be easy to keep clean and is installed adjacent to our staffed administration office and next to the large flying fox aviary and our bird aviaries. As well as being better prepared in the event of another large scale wildlife emergency our volunteers and staff will be able to carry out assessments and treatments of injured wildlife in the clinic on a daily basis.

Having the clinic here will mean that all the animal treatment equipment currently in the administration office can put in the clinic and the office space can be better utilised as an office. The distribution of specialist animal foods will happen from the administrative office instead of from the home of one of our volunteers, who will be very pleased to get her spare room back again.

At the time of completing this grant report and writing this article we are waiting for the plumbing to be connected and then we will arrange a launch. This is an exciting step in the long term goal of ACT Wildlife to eventually have our own Wildlife veterinary clinic with a specialist Wildlife Vet. Our sincerest thanks to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife for making this possible.

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Author
Lindy Butcher
Wildlife Group
ACT Wildlife