“Fundrazr” for Gibsons Wildlife Centre

Clint Davy nurses a fawn at the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which operates partly out of Davy’s house. The centre is raising money to acquire another building. Krisztina Harasztosi photo

The Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a new bird and mammal facility to provide indoor care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

Clint and Irene Davy have been caring for creatures at their 1.6-acre property near Gibsons for more than 30 years.  The property includes a pond, aviaries and a squirrel house, but the bird treatment room is in one of their bedrooms, and volunteers have to use their kitchen and bathroom.

“We have six people in our home every morning,” said Irene Davy. “Our volunteers are wonderful but we’d like to have our home to ourselves sometimes.”

The organization hopes to raise $25,000 to purchase a commercial trailer and equip it with cages and facilities to provide indoor care for injured and orphaned wildlife. Once rehabilitated, creatures are released back into their natural habitat.

The Centre holds Federal and Provincial Permits for wildlife rehabilitation work and works closely with veterinarians and colleagues in the Wildlife Rehabilitators’ Network of B.C.

“Since we started doing wildlife care in our home we have taken in 8,886 wild creatures,” said Irene Davy, adding:  “Wait, that’s 8,887 because somebody just left a bird outside the door.”

The Davy’s received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for their wildlife rehabilitation efforts. They receive no provincial or federal funding, relying entirely on public donations.

The campaign can be found on fundrazr.com or through the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre’s Facebook page.  The campaign ends Dec. 31.

Donna McMahon