Kelowna, B.C. City Council Greenlights New Wildlife Rehabilitation Center – Okanagan

A non-profit company announces that it will soon open a new rehabilitation center in the central Okanagan for injured or orphaned wild animals.

This week, the city council of Kelowna, British Columbia, gave the go-ahead for the Wild Things Rehabilitation Society to open the shelter, with council members backing the 7-2 motion.

Notably, city staff recommended that council not support an amendment request to reduce the land requirements for the clinic from a minimum of two hectares to 1.3 hectares.

In a report to council, staff raised possible nuisances and environmental concerns. The majority of council ignored this staff recommendation and voted for the center, although councilors Gord Lovegrove and Ron Cannan sided with city staff.

On its website, Wild Things said, “With the support of some incredibly generous owners, we are developing a rehabilitation center in the central Okanagan where we can rescue injured or orphaned animals, rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild. nature. to help protect our local ecosystem.

The wildlife shelter will be located along Hall Road. The owners, William and Maria Kitsch, submitted the change request on behalf of Wild Things.

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The company said 100% of all donations will go towards the development of this much needed center and it plans to open in 2022. The company’s founder is Sydney Platz.

Wild Things says it will focus on small mammals (such as squirrels, raccoons, groundhogs and field mice) as well as songbirds, adding that the exact list of species will be determined by provincial authorities, although that no raptors or predators are included.

For more information on Wild Things Rehabilitation Society, visit their website.

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