Wilderness Haven--A Tour of Our Facility
Wilderness Haven is not a large facility, staffed by a huge number of people. We are a small organization, consisting of one New York State Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, and two Licensed Wildlife Assistants. We also can boast of three small fuzzy mascots at the Center, whose photos will appear later in this tour.
Admissions and Treatment
When an animal first comes into the Center, we will place it in a holding cage in a dark quiet corner of our admissions area. The animal will be allowed to rest and relax awhile before we start treatment. This minimizes the amount of stress the animal will experience.
The first step in treatment is a good physical exam to determine the exact extent of the illness or injury. This will be done in our treatment area.
After we are sure we know what the problem is, we will know how to proceed with treatment. The most crucial step in treatment is rehydration, since 90% of the animals brought in for rehabilitation are dehydrated. Note the IV bag in the treatment area. Many animals can take fluids orally, but some need subcutaneous injection of fluids. At the Center we are prepared for both methods of rehydration. We use the IV fluids thatare used in human hospitals, including Lactated Ringer's and Normal Saline solutions
Many animals need medications for infections and often local medications for wounds. We work with an excellent veterinarian for this purpose and medications are sometimes compounded at the local pharmacy, according to the vet's instructions. Medications needing refrigeration (such as liquid antibiotics) are stored in the refrigerator in the facility kitchen.
Any treatments needed by the rescued animal, such as wound care, immobilization of fractures, fluid replacement, are all done in the treatment area.