STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — One of the largest wildlife care facilities in our region has a call out to the community for help.
Baby squirrels, raccoons, and skunks are just a few of the hundreds of animals being cared for at Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Stroudsburg.
The center has provided services for injured, orphaned, sick, and displaced wildlife since 1980 – averaging about 3,000 animals a year.
“We do it for the animals, absolutely and that’s the reward… when you can release something back into the wild, it’s such an amazing feeling,” said co-executive director Susan Downing.
But the 24/7, seven days-a-week care for this wildlife calls for more hands to help.
Janine Tancredi, co-executive director, said “(We) desperately need more people. We have a multitude of animals right now and they’re being fed five times a day so we’re always in need of volunteers for feeding, cleaning, and laundry.”
In addition to volunteers, Tancredi says they’re also in need of monetary donations to fund the facility operations; such as medicine or specific food for an animal in its care.
Without that funding and volunteers, center officials say they wouldn’t be able to keep the doors open, leaving limited resources for wildlife support.
“We don’t have animal control here so anytime there’s an issue, whether it be in someone’s home, their attic, in their yard, we are the people that they call,” said Tancredi.
Founder Kathy Uhler says if you’re not able to donate your time, learning about wildlife and reaching out to professionals if you see an injured animal is just as important.
“Look with your eyes, feel with your heart, not your hands. It’s just not worth the danger, there are ways of helping animals without touching them and endangering yourself, so call us.”
The Pocono Wildlife Rehab and Education Center is also looking to partner with local businesses and organizations.
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