Wildlife Care Association has been in continuous operation since 1975. During the past 49 years of being in business, WCA has helped more that 300,000 wild animals in need and is one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation centers in the state of California. In the early years, some of the prominent naturalists in the Sacramento area, such as MB Goodier, Effie Yeaw, and William B. Pond, were very active and worked hard to establish the Wildlife Care Association as an important community service organization. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and are permitted by the California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to care for wildlife. WCA takes in animals from members of the public and we also take in animals from local animal control agencies, state and federal wildlife agencies, local zoos, and more, all free of charge.
In 2023, WCA took in animals from more than 125 zip codes.
Wildlife Care Association, Inc. is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of local wildlife. WCA is committed to educating and instructing the community in the respect, appreciation, and care of local wildlife. WCA is pledged to the management and preservation of wildlife habitat.
THE BASICS.
WCA took in almost 7,000 animals in 2023. This was another busy intake year. We must ensure the proper care of the animals and unfortunately the cost of everything from food to meds to building supplies and equipment have all risen exponentially over the past three years. As inflation still continue to rise, we must allow more in the budget for our basic supplies.
PAYROLL.
As our animal numbers continue to increase, so do our staffing needs. Since covid hit, WCA has a tough time finding qualified staff willing to perform the duties necessary to properly care for the wild animals we are entrusted to care for.
Those previous staffing issues resulted in a temporary hold on our permit. Issues were quickly resolved by some minor repairs and hiring a new qualified Animal Care Manager and staff. This necessary change forced a payroll increase of more than 30% to ensure proper animal care of all of our wild patients. In addition, minimum wage continues to increase. Having increased funding for staff ensures the animals brought to us are properly cared for by qualified technicians and equates to more than $320,000 per year with expected increases. In addition, WCA has hired a qualified Volunteer Coordinator that already has made great strides in our volunteer and intern programs. In addition, we have hired a qualified Facility Operations Manager to help with accounts payable and Accounts receivable, as well as cover many facility maintenance duties the Animal Care Manager cannot cover.
CAGING.
WCA was able to make many repairs and improvements to our aviaries and pre-release cages in 2023 in addition to adding several new mammal release cages. As our numbers continue to increase and our home rehabilitation team slowly diminishes, we need to continue to add more pre-release aviaries and pre-release caging for many different species of animals. $100,000.
OPERATIONS MANAGER.
Again, the board of directors has been handling many managerial tasks for the organization, which has detracted from time available to raise funds for WCA. Having an operations manager is a necessity for an organization of our size. $80,000
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDING.
Although we do not have a specific list or detailed estimates, we know we have many projects we must begin working on to become more efficient. Insulating our old building is a priority. In addition, our major equipment is aging and will need repairs and even replacement in the near future. $200,000+
VOLUNTEERS.
Board of Director members, phone team volunteers, maintenance crew, cleaning crew, and many other volunteer positions. During the busy spring and summer months, our facility needs more than 100 volunteers to help us properly care for the sick and injured wild animals brought to us.
WCA takes in all sick, orphaned, and injured wild animals from all members of the public.
Organization name
Wildlife Care Association
other names
WCA
1975
Tax id (EIN)
94-2528504
Mission Category
Animal Related
Operating Budget
$250,001-$500,000
Organization Need
Funding: Unrestricted, Volunteers
Demographics Served
General population
Local Counties Served
Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
8546 Kermes AveSacramento County, CA, US
Yolo County, CA, US
Placer County, CA, US
San Joaquin County, CA, US