Rescue. Rehabilitate. Release
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After all the delays, Wildlife Response, Inc (WRI) is finally realizing its long-held goal of creating a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, following a 10-1 vote by Virginia Beach City Council to award the much-anticipated competitive Bid Lease to WRI this past Tuesday evening.
Council's vote follows on 8 months of evaluation by a specially-chosen review committee, during which formal proposals were submitted last August, interviews were conducted in December, and a unanimous vote by the review committee endorsed the proposal submitted by WRI.
Provision of this proposed Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will help already over-tasked agencies run more efficiently. By combining the existing volunteer hotline and rehabilitation services with this proposed facility, WRI plans to expand its existing services into a more full-service organization dedicated solely to wildlife care.
The proposed Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will be a central location where local citizens, animal control officials and other agencies can drop off wildlife; as well as provide a redistribution center for animals where they can be triaged, then sent to permitted home-based wildlife rehabilitators. This facility will provide state of the art veterinary care, and a safe recuperation site for wildlife brought there. WRI will also provide security for the Center by having a caretaker onsite, thus maintaining the property’s integrity and minimizing the risk of vandalism and trespassing. Most recuperated wildlife will be released offsite in appropriate habitat. Release criteria depends on variables such as weather, time of year, species of animal, age of animal or number of animals.
The Center will also launch an expanded educational platform for WRI that will be used to cultivate an understanding of our immediate environment and the wildlife that we cohabitate with. This portion of WRI’s mission will be fulfilled with onsite and offsite programs which may include "wild ambassadors" (animals unable to be returned to the wild but can help spread the message of wildlife conservation).
The WRI proposal insures that a majority of the current wooded area would remain in a natural state and is master planned for three phases. The first phase would renovate the existing structure for use as a caretaker/director residence and construct rehabilitation enclosures to house recuperating wildlife. The second phase proposes a medical treatment center, additional rehabilitation enclosures, solar/water collection platforms and a workshop facility for onsite maintenance. The final phase would be for an administration/education facility and trail system.
If you have any questions about the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, contact the chair of the Building Committee, Bill Haynie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Executive Summary
Wildlife Response, Inc. (WRI) was organized in 1992 to meet the increasing need for care of wildlife in the Hampton Roads area. Local permitted wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians, and other individuals laid the foundation for what WRI is today. Since these humble beginnings, WRI has quietly grown into a solid organization, committed to the community, continuing to grow in its membership and vision.
Skills/Experience
- WRI’s volunteer base includes trained veterinary professionals and dedicated volunteers from all walks of life. WRI member rehabilitators are permitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia and by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The combined experience of our permitted wildlife rehabilitators exceeds ninety years.
- WRI’s Board Members and volunteers have presented classes for rehabilitators during its Annual Training Seminar as well as through other local, regional, and national seminars.
- WRI provides help, education, and facilities for non-member rehabilitators as well , and wildlife has been transferred to professional facilities as distant as the world renowned Raptor Center of Minnesota at the University of Minnesota.
Services Provided
- WRI serves an area that includes the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area with a population of an estimated 2 million residents.
- Native species from hummingbirds to vultures, shrews to deer are taken in and cared for by our dedicated team of state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitators.
- WRI volunteers have rehabilitated over an estimated 23,000 wild birds, mammals, and reptiles over the last nineteen years.
- Volunteers field an average of 11,500 calls a year from our 24 hour Hotline Service. Questions are answered, wild babies are reunited with their parents, and wildlife in need finds its way to rehabilitators in a timely fashion.
- WRI offers the latest training and technical information for our members and other permitted rehabilitators. Our Annual Seminar is open to any permitted wildlife rehabilitator in Virginia and other States.
- WRI visits local schools and scout troops and educates thousands of our children about wildlife.
- Tens of thousands of people across the southeastern portion of Virginia have received information about coexisting with wildlife when we attend functions such as the Eastern Shore Wildlife Festival, Earth Days in Newport News, and other festivals and events.
- WRI routinely assists various government agencies when requested and as needed.
- WRI also provides help and advice in handling wildlife matters to police departments of various jurisdictions; Animal Control agencies of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, and Hampton; local humane organizations; veterinary facilities, and a host of other businesses.
Management Team
WRI is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wildlife Response, Inc. is not a government agency, but an entity surviving solely on the support of the public and its volunteers. The organization is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors that meets monthly; members serve five-year terms. Our 2011 board members include wildlife rehabilitators, business owners, medical and veterinary professionals.
Other
Wildlife Response, Inc. is a member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association.
Pertinent Chronologic Events
2011
WRI submits a bid to lease Virginia Beach owned property on August 9th WRI receives unanimous approval for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Virginia Beach from City Council on May 10th The City requests WRI to host a collaboration meeting with group (later identified as WREN) to attempt Collaboration on April 12th WRI receives unanimous approval for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Virginia Beach from the Planning Commission on February 9th
WRI’s Application for a CUP for Wildlife Rehabilitation Center was submitted in January to the Virginia Beach Planning Department The Planning Department asks WRI to wait to formally pursue its CUP application until the ITA study/plan is finished, resulting in a one-year delay2009
WRI hosts the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Conference (IWRC) in Virginia Beach WRI collaborates with the AIA of Hampton Roads and other area design professionals to host “Designing with Wildlife” seminar at the Advance Technology Center
2008
WRI assists the City of Virginia Beach in securing a safe habitat for over 60 domestic geese from Mt. Trashmore park and catches the last of the geese to reunite it with its flock WRI secures Aatlantia Design Group, Inc. as Architectural Design consultant for the rehabilitation center project
The entire group of WRI wildlife rehabilitators living in Virginia Beach unanimously receive their CUPs for home-based rehabilitation services, making these rehabilitators and WRI fully compliant with local, state, and federal laws The Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department invites WRI to partner in its Waterfowl Management Program WRI hosts Oil Spill Training taught by Tri State Bird Rescue & Research
WRI begins work with the Planning Department to create zoning ordinances for legalizing wildlife rehabilitation in the City of Virginia Beach after WRI president/wildlife rehabilitator Lisa Barlow receives first CUP for wildlife rehabilitation WRI rehabilitator & veterinarian refines treatment protocol for frostbite in pelicans – recovery and release rate increases 30%
WRI works with the Virginia Department of Health in West Nile Virus Bird Handler study
Non-releasable hawks sent to the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center for West Nile Virus vaccine study Evelyn Flengas leaves WRI to pursue provision of independent wildlife rehabilitation services
WRI launches locally based frostbite treatment protocol for Brown Pelicans Virginia Tavenner, Barbara Gibson, and Linda Jaffee leave WRI to start the VBSPCA Wildlife Program after developing philosophical differences with WRI leadership
WRI hosts International Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference (IWRC) in Virginia Beach
WRI rehabilitators send Brown Pelicans with frostbite to Florida and develops treatment protocol
WRI holds first Annual Seminar and hosts Tri State Bird Rescue Oil Spill Training and IWRC Basic Rehabilitation Class WRI Hotline begins operation
WRI forms and becomes Hampton Roads first Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization • Sharon Adams leaves WRI organizing committee after developing philosophical differences with other WRI organizers
Planning Staff report to the February 9, 2011 Planning Commission Public Hearing
- The entire C.U.P. Application is available for download here
- The public hearing from February 2011 is available at the City of Virginia Beach's website. The entire hearing is quite long and of course includes other city business. Our agenda item starts at about 22:18 in the video. Find it HERE.
- The public hearing from May 2011 is also available at the City of Virginia Beach's website. This hearing is also very long. Our agenda item starts at about 81:15 in the video. Find it HERE.
