Veterinarian Jan White has spent a career building refuges for wildlife from California to Alaska, and along with Tigger Birch and a group of volunteers, she is creating a new one, South Sound Critter Care, at her Sawyer Lake Veterinary Clinic.
Jan White completed her graduate work in veterinary medicine from the University of California Davis in 1990 and since that time she has been working both as a veterinarian and in wildlife rehabilitation.
White and her team spent the past year getting permits and the wildlife center ready. She received the license for mammals, reptiles and amphibians Aug. 20, and Saturday Birch and about 12 volunteers were busy building a squirrel cage and an aviary.
White will apply for the federal and state permits for songbirds and raptors once the aviary is completed.
White said the center will mainly house small mammals like squirrels, rabbits, opossums. Once the permit for birds is received, White said, they will care for songbirds, small owls and falcons. She said there will not be room for eagles or larger mammals like deer or raccoons. Those animals will be sent to Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington.
The animals taken at the critter care center have been injured or are babies who have been orphaned. The animals are treated and cared for by the staff and volunteers. Once the animals are healthy, they are released back into a wild environment.
Birch said most of the squirrels are eastern gray squirrels that have “come in injured or orphaned. Mom may have been hit by a car or sometimes the babies are blown out of the nest. Babies have a lot of bounce, but there may be some head trauma.”
Birch said the animals are “taken care of until they are ready to go.” The next step according to Birch is a soft release where the animals are brought to an area in a cage, “while they feed and get a chance to check out the neighborhood.”
Birch said he became interested in animals when he was young.
“I’ve always had a soft spot for animals,” Birch said. “I ended up unemployed and I volunteered at P.A.W.S. Wildlife Center in Lynnwood.”
About six years ago he met White and began working at her Renton veterinary clinic. He is a veterinary technician and one of the driving forces behind creating the critter care facility.
White said the wildlife center needs volunteers who are interested in learning about and caring for injured animals. Volunteers are also needed for building cages, accounting and other computer work. The minimum age for volunteers is 16.
White said families can become involved, which is a way for younger children to get involved.
“A family can go through the training course with us and then we will send them home with three or four squirrels,” White said. “They feed them and bring them back. It can be a family project.”
The care center is a nonprofit organization that accepts donations.
South Sound Critter Care can be contacted by calling the Sawyer Lake Veterinary Clinic at 360-886-8000. The clinic is located 28727 216th Avenue S.E., Kent.
