Pacific Wildlife Care has plans to move into a new facility in San Luis Obispo. The rehabilitation center has been operating at the old power plant in Morro Bay since 2007.
Last year, the center saw around 2,700 animals. By August of this year, they’d already surpassed that number, which Executive Director Kristin Howland says is more than they can handle at their current space.
“We anticipate when we move to this site, it will increase more. As our population grows and issues with climate, then those animal intakes will only progress,” Howland said.
After putting a down payment on the land, generous donors paid off the loan and donated extra money to help with the construction.
“Kim and Derrel Ridenour will have the Pacific Wildlife Care facility named after them,” said Jermaine Washington, volunteer and board member.
Being the only rehab and rescue center for wild animals in the county, Howland says it is nice knowing they will be more centrally located.
“The fact that it’s centrally located in the county is important. We get a fair amount of animals from Paso Robles area and down into Oceano. A lot of the birds come from the Oceano area,” she said.
The new site is located at Buckley Road and Esperanza Lane.
“We have a lot of increased traffic and therefore Pacific Wildlife Care will have an increased visibility,” Washington said.
“Currently our site out in Morro Bay is a little bit hidden and hard to get to so this will be a space people will be able to find easily and bring the animals to easier,” Howland said.
Kathleen Dillan has been volunteering for the past 14 years and is looking forward to the 16,000-square-foot facility with an 8,100-square-foot animal enclosure outside on the 10-acre property.
“It will be a two-story building right here, animal caging on this side and a new home,” Dillan explained.
The two-story facility will include a surgery and isolation area, larger flight cages, and spaces for volunteer training and public education programs.
“This location will also benefit us from a brand-new surgery room providing state-of-the-art care to animals,” said Mark Monday, Pacific Wildlife Care Board Member.
Construction on the new rehabilitation facility is expected to start early next year.
To learn more about Pacific Wildlife Care or to donate to the new facility, click here.
