MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • March 17, 2024
There are about 20 wildlife rehabilitators across the state, mostly in southern and central Maine. There are none in northern Maine. Some treat a small number of patients, while others have larger facilities equipped to handle more animals and more complex cases. All of them play an important role because the state does not have the resources to handle that type of work. Last year, the Saco River Wildlife Center treated more than 900 patients – more than it ever had before – and briefly closed intake because it could not handle any more animals. The center has since raised $25,000 of the $250,000 needed to renovate the property into a facility that can accommodate more animals and has a dedicated space for a volunteer veterinarian to treat patients.