Every injured, orphaned or endangered wild animal tells a story — and this holiday season, you have an opportunity to help write a happy ending. Just like the positive outcome and inspiring story about a family of Sandhill Cranes on Burnaby Lake, who fell gravely ill from parasites in the summer of 2022. They received urgent medical treatment in their natural habitat thanks to Burnaby's Wildlife Rescue field team.
Over several weeks, the team carefully delivered medication through food. Slowly, the family regained their strength and today, they are thriving again — wild and free.
This story of wildlife survival was possible because someone like you cared and acted. With the community’s support, the highly skilled team of rehabilitation technicians and volunteers at Wildlife Rescue can continue providing emergency wildlife rescue, medical care and rehabilitation to urban wildlife.
By supporting this vital work, you’re not just donating — you’re standing up for B.C.’s wildlife and showing that everyone has a role to play in preserving it.
"Sandhill Cranes are quite vulnerable in terms of loss of habitat, as are many of the wildlife species that we deal with," says Jackie McQuillan, support centre manager with Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. "They're finding it harder to locate the areas they need to find food and take refuge to be successful in the wild."
"It was really rewarding to help the Sandhill Cranes on Burnaby Lake and watch the colt (baby) grow up, and then migrate as a family. It's these kinds of success stories that keep us going, plus the continuing support from the public that made it possible; we're incredibly grateful for that assistance."
McQuillan explains the organization also receives numerous calls about Sandhill Cranes getting struck by golf balls. "We've treated many over the years for fractures in wings and legs."
The Wildlife Rescue hospital receives around 5,000 wild animals a year, which includes a wide variety of bird species, bats, reptiles and amphibians. "It costs roughly $465 to rehabilitate one patient depending on the species, the reason they come to the hospital, and the season. During spring, for example, we get more than 100 babies per week that are sick, injured, or in most cases orphaned," says Marina Schwarz, marketing manager with Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. "Depending on what type of animal, mostly birds, they will stay with us for up to eight weeks, until they are old enough to be self-sufficient in the wild."
Support B.C.’s wildlife with meaningful holiday gifts
As B.C.'s busiest wildlife rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Rescue — through innovative programs and dedicated care — is working to ensure that these magnificent cranes, along with countless other injured and threatened animals, can thrive.
Through the Holiday Gift Guide you can support 40 impactful initiatives, including the 2025 Wildlife Rescue Calendar (featuring photographs from the winners of their annual photo contest), which not only provide essential resources for wild animal rehabilitation, like antibiotics, nutritious food, supplements and medical tools/equipment, but also contribute to educational outreach and efforts that drive long-term conservation.
"We not only need physical resources but also a lot of human resources to support the care of the animals," says Schwarz. "They require different food and different medication depending on the species, injury, and their age."
"We have a lot of benefits that go back to the community, like the symbolic adoptions, for example, that can be gifted during the holidays," she reveals.
Wildlife Rescue’s Fur & Feathers adoption program is the perfect way to help one of the thousands of animals that require immediate assistance every year. Each adoption includes an adoption certificate, species information card and a charitable tax receipt.
Every contribution counts: How you can help wildlife
Through a variety of pathways, your contributions, large or small, make a difference. You can give to wildlife by making a single or monthly gift, corporate sponsorship, and even by volunteering (more than 200 volunteers dedicate over 20,000 hours every year), among many other options.
Schwarz believes everyone has a role in protecting biodiversity and says, "It's up to us to support our wildlife; everybody can do a little piece."
"It's super important for us to help people better understand how they can support local wildlife in their communities."
McQuillan points out that monthly donations are incredibly helpful to the organization for stability and planning. "Having a consistent source of income that we can depend on to plan how we're going to build our organization going forward is invaluable."
"We're continuing to prepare facilities throughout the year to ensure we've always got the capacity to deal with the animals that need our help at any moment."
"Hitting our 45-year milestone anniversary this year says so much about the incredible community support that we've had since our inception and continues through the years," says McQuillan.
"From people asking us for our expertise to people giving back to our organization; it's all extremely inspiring. We're excited to be working towards having cameras onsite so people will be able to see some of the work we're doing and the species we're caring for."
For more information on how to give or to sign up for wildlife updates, visit wildliferescue.ca.
