THE WHO
Critter Care Wildlife Society is a non-profit organization that provides short and long-term care to native mammal species and through rehabilitation and public education, helps prevent suffering of injured and orphaned wildlife.
Critter Care Wildlife Society started in 1984 out of the home of its founder, Gail Martin. Gail loves all animals but her passion is the Raccoon. It was finding an orphaned raccoon that had Gail start caring for these animals along with opossums and squirrels. She had help from her family & friends but then grew to the point where she needed to be able to apply for grants and to campaign for financial help so on January 18, 1993 Gail formed the Society.
Then the problem came where she was taking in so many animals there was no room in her home that she then formed a partnership with the GVRD and moved Critter Care Wildlife Society to its present location in Campbell Valley Regional Park. This was in 1997.
Over the years Gail has had many babies of her own that she has raised… babies such as Jabber Jabber, the river otter and of course Hoover, our Bobcat ambassador. Sadly we lost Hoover to cancer in 2015.
Some of the animals admitted to Critter Care need to have x-rays or special test done. They need a little more than we can do ourselves.
This is where Townline Pet Veterinary Hospital and Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital come to the rescue. They provide this extra help for us and the animals.
They are a great asset to Critter Care and we are forever grateful to them for their continued help.
Gail Martin spends countless hours researching and applying for grants for building and special purchases of equipment. She is always saying that her knees are worn out from all her begging for help.
THE WHAT
(What we do to keep our doors open for the animals in need.)
Aside from Gail’s valiant efforts of grant applications, Critter Care relies extensively on the generosity of caring individuals of the general public, its’ membership and various businesses in order to keep our doors open to the many needy animals that rely on us for that second chance at life.
Up to early 2020 when Covid hit the world, Critter Care held 3 major fundraising events. In Spring it was our Gala (Silent & Live Auctions and a Guest Speaker); in Summer it was our Open House over a two-day weekend that brought 2000 guest each day; then in Winter was our Christmas Shopping Spree where the public were able to shop in our small store for our Christmas Cards, Animal Sponsorships, Animal socks and other related critter items.
During this time of limited public contact Critter Care has exploded in new nurseries and other enclosures, repairs to existing enclosure and the list continues. The events listed above will be redesigned for the future and at this point it is not known how they will take place.
Critter Care staff and interns are extremely busy due to the yearly increase in the number of critter admissions. Each year the total number of admissions increase. The main reason being the loss of habitat and conflict with humans. Until this loss is halted, if ever, Critter Care Wildlife Society will remain a place for our wildlife to come for help.
But if this is to happen, the financial support of businesses, foundations and the general public will be a necessity.
THE WHERE
Critter Care Wildlife Society resides on 5 acres of land at 481 216th Street, Langley, B.C. This site is in Campbell Valley Regional Park and is leased from the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). Critter Care has been at this site since 1997.
Over these years Critter Care has grown exponentially with large enclosures to house the likes of black bear cubs, fawns, coyotes, raccoons and many other species. It has our triage center (a refurbished farm house), an education building, intern residences and two supervisor trailers.
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