The Case for Elevating WildCare
WILDCARE’S $20 MILLION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS CAMPAIGN
Elevating WildCare: An Urgent and Heightened Need
After nearly half a century of repurposing, repairing, and remodeling the physical structures that are essential to our operations, WildCare needs a new facility to continue operations and further realize our mission as a world-class wildlife medicine teaching hospital, wildlife advocacy organization, and environmental education center.
Questions about WildCare's Elevate Campaign? Email elevate@discoverwildcare.org or call Nicole Trautsch, Director of Development at 415-453-1000 x310.
WildCare is the premier organization for wildlife medicine and environmental education in Northern California today.
Centrally located in downtown San Rafael, in Marin County, WildCare supports people everywhere to live well with wildlife, through a full cycle of programs including
wildlife advocacy and information resources, nature education programs, and medical aid for ill, injured, and orphaned wild animals.
Since our hospital’s founding, we have treated and cared for more than 120,000 wild animal patients in our urban Wildlife Hospital. We have also engaged more than 1,000,000 children and adults through environmental learning experiences and advocacy.
Taking Us to Higher Ground
We are thrilled to share with you our vision for a beautiful three-story, state-of-the-art WildCare Center at our current Albert Park location.
“The time has come for WildCare’s facilities to support and reflect the world-class quality of medical care we provide for wildlife patients and the life-changing, wildlife-centered nature education experiences we offer to students of all ages.WildCare’s ability to teach environmental stewardship best practices and support new generations of people to live well with wildlife depends upon it.”
- Ellyn Weisel, Executive Director, WildCare
WILDCARE PROPOSES TO REDEVELOP THE EXISTING WILDCARE FACILITIES AT 76 ALBERT PARK LANE IN DOWNTOWN SAN RAFAEL
The scope of new construction includes the restoration and relocation of the historic building currently housing the WildCare Museum, and the construction of a new, attached, three-story wildlife animal hospital, with suitable workspace for staff and volunteers, all on the existing property.
The project will include on-site development of a new courtyard to host our educational Wildlife Ambassador animals along with educational gathering spaces along the front of the property. All existing caging and hospital facilities will be demolished.
We estimate that it will cost $20 million to complete our mission-driven, board-approved capital improvements plan by approximately 2025. We aim to generate project funding through a volunteer-driven philanthropic campaign that will run until the project's completion.
Help us soar into the future!
Please contact Nicole Trautsch, Director of Development at 415-453-1000 x310 or nicole@discoverwildcare.org to make your gift.
“Community-based wildlife work is critical to teaching the community about our animal neighbors. [WildCare’s] presence at Albert Park is iconic and their facility is well loved by children, locals, and visitors.”
- JD Bergeron, Executive Director, International Bird Rescue
“No other organization in Marin County currently has the capacity or skill set to offer the essential wildlife rehabilitation services in the same way that WildCare does. …WildCare’s partnership ensures that wildlife in Marin’s protected natural spaces has increased opportunities
to survive and thrive. WildCare should have every resource possible to continue its mission.”
- Sheila Coll, Program Director, Friends of China Camp
“I am so appreciative of all that WildCare does to support our local wildlife, both in terms of the education you provide along with the rehabilitation efforts at your facility. Our students have benefited over the years from learning from your amazing and talented volunteers about habitats, ecosystems, sustainability and all the amazing benefits that our animals bring to our community.”
- Jim Hogeboom, Superintendent, San Rafael CIty Schools
WildCare Receives Environmental and Design Review Permit
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at the San Rafael Planning Commission hearing, the commissioners unanimously and enthusiastically approved an Environmental and Design Review Permit for WildCare’s New Wildlife Hospital and Educational Facilities and adopted the draft resolution and conditions of approval as written.
This is a critical milestone that allows our project to move forward and signifies the City’s resounding support of our plan for a new home for WildCare.
The commissioners repeatedly expressed how impressed they are with the project and the importance of WildCare’s role in our community.
Watch the recording below!
WildCare's Design Passes the Design Review Board
On December 6, 2022, WildCare and architects Jessica Fairchild and Cheryl Lentini from Fairchild Broms Design went before the City of San Rafael Design Review Board with the preliminary designs for the new WildCare facility.
The design was received with rave reviews! Watch the presentation and the Board's questions and comments below.
On March 7, 2023 received unanimous approval from the Design Review Board. Watch that meeting here. The WildCare approval begins at four minutes in.