MONTEREY COUNTY — SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center rescued a total of 172 wild animals in one day last week, establishing a new record for the organization.
Currently, the center is caring for 133 injured, sick or orphaned wild animals, representing various species including birds, mammals and reptiles. Among the patients are Acorn Woodpeckers, American Crows, Robins, Band-tailed Pigeons, Barn Owls, Barn Swallows, Bewick’s Wrens, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Black-tailed Deer, a Bobcat, Brewer’s Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Brush Rabbits, California Ground Squirrels, California Gulls, Scrub-Jays, Cliff Swallows, Common Murres, Ravens, Dark-eyed Juncos, Dusky-footed Woodrats, Eastern Fox Squirrels, Eurasian Collared Doves, Gopher Snakes, House Finches, Mourning Doves, Northern Mockingbirds, Raccoons, Red-shouldered Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Rock Pigeons, Snowy Plovers, Striped Skunks, Virginia Opossums, Virginia Rails and Western Gulls.
The center’s staff and volunteers are actively caring for these animals, with baby birds requiring feeding as often as every 20 minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., totaling over 125 feedings daily for the youngest patients.
The SPCA Wildlife Center operates as the only full-service wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in Monterey County. It functions independently, relying entirely on donations and community support, as it does not receive funding from federal, state or local governments.
How to Support the Wildlife Center
Community members can contribute by donating through spcamc.org/donate, purchasing gifts via Amazon at spcamc.org/baby-shower or donating supplies, such as empty glass baby food jars, eggs and mealworms. These items are vital for feeding young and recovering animals. Donations can be delivered directly to the Wildlife Center.
The organization encourages the public to learn when rescue is necessary and when animals are best left in the wild by visiting spcamc.org/blog.
Permitted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the center admits over 2,500 animals annually for care and rehabilitation. Since its founding in 1905, the nonprofit has served as the primary wildlife rescue and rehabilitation agency in Monterey County, providing services for both wildlife and domestic animals in need.
For more information about supporting or volunteering with the SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Center, visit its website.
