Each year, the members of the Women’s Wike Hiking Society vote for a non-profit to support. At the end of the year, we donate 20% of all day hike fees to our group’s chosen non-profit. That means, every hike you do with the group supports a non-profit in need! (Read about past non-profits we’ve supported.)
For 2024, our amazing wine hikers chose to support the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah (WRCNU), which is located in Ogden, Utah. The WRCNU is a unique and vital resource dedicated to the care, rehabilitation, and (hopefully) the release of sick and injured animals back into the wild. However, the WRCNU sadly is facing its own threats and is in need of immediate community support.
Before you read my blog post, grab some tissues and watch this video first.
Why the WRCNU Needs the Community’s Immediate Help
In 2010, Ogden City allowed the newly formed WRCNU to occupy the old Weber County Animal Shelter located next to the Dinosaur Museum near the entrance to Ogden Canyon. The WRCNU operated there without interruption until March 2023 when they received an eviction notice from Ogden City giving them only six months to vacate.
The WRCNU requested an extension, and the date set to vacate was moved to March 7, 2024. The WRCNU has purchased a new property on south Washington Boulevard and is scrambling to remodel it to accommodate the unique patients and services it has historically provided. However, the new location is half the size and can’t accommodate aquatics. That means no avian species (ducks are commonly brought in for rehab) and no beavers can be helped.
The WRCNU remains hopeful that the incoming Ogden City mayor will have a different opinion about the future of the WRCNU and allow them to remain in their current building. The current animal shelter location where WRCNU has been for 13 years is ideal for WRCNU’s patients.
At their current location, WRCNU has worked hard to create a space that allows for the rehabilitation of a variety of animals. For example, WRCNU modified dog kennels, which perfectly house recovering bird species. They also custom built a stainless-steel pool for aquatic species rehabilitation.
The ventilation system was built to provide proper air flow in rooms meant to house a large number of animals. Everything is cement and can be sprayed down with hoses. Outside features include large enclosures where birds can acclimate and build strength prior to being released back into the wild.
While WRCNU waits for a decision from the city, staff and volunteers are working overtime to finish the remodeling required to move into the new location by March 7—and that is proving to be an enormous undertaking.
The new building is an old residence and former commercial space. Most of the rooms were taken back to studs with new electrical and plumbing required. Damaged floors and ceilings must be repaired. There is not enough space for community education programs. There is not enough parking to allow for visitors. There is no room for the stainless-steel pool, and the outdoor enclosures will have to be left behind.
As hikers we love the outdoors and the wildlife we encounter. We understand the importance of a resource like the WRCNU to provide for the care and rehabilitation of injured, orphaned, and sick wildlife. That is why we chose the WRCNU as our charity organization this year.
What Can We Do?
So how can we help? There are three main ways we can help:
- Public support is always important. Contact the Ogden City mayor’s office and tell them why it’s crucial for WRCNU to remain at their current location.
- Tell your friends and neighbors about what’s going on to raise awareness. The more people who know, the more change we can affect.
- Volunteer at WRCNU, from providing construction help at the new facility, to helping out after it’s open.
- Donate money and supplies.
As I mentioned, at the end of the year, the Wine Hiking Society will donate 20% of all day hike fees to WRCNU. This December, we’ll also host a silent auction at our Christmas party and donate all of the proceeds from the auction to WRCNU.
If you’d like to make additional donations past our annual 20%, please visit WRCNU’s website at wrcnu.org. We also hope to partner with WRCNU this year for additional awareness and fundraising opportunities.
Doing Important Work
I recently had the opportunity to tour the current WRCNU facility and see first-hand the work they are doing. Here are some interesting facts that I learned about beavers and eagles on my tour of WRCNU:
- Did you know a baby beaver is called a kit? They are born with their eyes open, can swim at 4 days old, and dive at 2 months of age. However, they stay with their parents until they are 2 years old as they learn the skills of hydro-engineering.
When a kit is brought into a rehabilitation center, it cannot be released until it is at least 2 years of age. Orphaned beavers are easily stressed, and stressed beavers do not eat. They then lose weight and become sickly very easily. Rehab staff must be very careful to maintain routines and limit new exposures to keep the beaver comfortable and improve the chances of successful rehabilitation.
- Did you know female bald eagles are bigger than males (“Who runs the world? GIRLS!”)? Or that bald eagles mate in the air and for life and that they are excellent swimmers?
Did you also know that an estimated 46% of bald eagles nationwide suffer from chronic lead poisoning, which is fatal if not treated? Eagles ingest lead when they scavenge the remains of animals shot with lead ammunition and from fish who have swallowed lead weights commonly used in fishing tackle.
Chronic lead exposure is causing the decline of eagle populations across the country. A poisoned eagle can be saved by chelation therapy, which can only be done at a qualified rehabilitation center, such as WRCNU.
Orphaned beaver and poisoned bald eagles are just two examples of the patients currently housed at the WRCNU. The WRCNU is the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in Utah that can treat birds and mammals.
Typically, the WRCNU treats about 4,000 animals per year. Plus, it offers education and outreach programs to the community. The annual food budget alone runs about $70,000. The WRCNU receives NO state or federal funding and operates entirely on donations. The majority of the veterinary care is discounted by area clinics. The WRCNU is a beloved organization embraced wholly by wildlife lovers throughout the state.
We are so happy to be supporting the WRCNU this year! Please spread the word around your community that the WRCNU needs help and join us on our hikes and our volunteer events to support this vital and amazing organization!
