Difficult news for PWC

It is with sadness and regret that we have to announce a significant change to PWC

Piedmont Wildlife Center’s Education Program is thriving. Camp enrollment is still open and doing better than projected. PWC is happy to report that we’re meeting the community’s need for a wildlife-oriented experience. If dedication, commitment, heart, and a desire to help wildlife were the only ingredients necessary to maintain a wildlife clinic, our clinic would also be thriving; however, due to an estimated projected budget shortfall of nearly $200,000 in the coming year, the PWC board of directors made the difficult decision last night to close the Piedmont Wildlife Center clinic on July 31st, 2009.

As the only wildlife clinic in the area with a dedicated veterinarian, trained staff and volunteers, closure of PWC Clinic services will create a huge, regrettable gap in this area for our community. The clinic has treated over 12,000 animals with an impressive 50% release rate. It has served as the training grounds for many rehabilitators, pre-veterinary students, college interns, fellows, and veterinary students. We have taken in animals from over 30 counties and 4 states. We have treated over 130 species of wildlife, rehabilitating them with veterinary services, food, shelter, and tender loving care.

PWC wants to thank the many staff members, volunteers and rehabilitators who have contributed countless hours and sleepless nights in their performance of the demanding tasks that a wildlife clinic requires. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the community for its generous contributions of time, money and continued support.

Using our already established camps and education programs as a cornerstone, we are beginning to develop a plan for a new and stronger wildlife clinic. We will strive to create a new clinic that will have broad community support in order to provide financial resources needed to build and sustain a state of the art facility. We need your financial support now more than ever to help us build a new dream for wildlife.

Donations can be mailed to Piedmont Wildlife Center, 364 Leigh Farm Road, Durham, NC 27707 or at http://piedmontwildlifecenter.org/donations .