Birds & More | Wildlife Waystation Needs Your Help!

Email Karen,
The Parrot Lady™

The Wildlife Waystation is fighting for survival - its own!

Since its inception in 1976, the Wildlife Waystation which receives no local, state or federal funding has rescued more than 75,000 wild animals from around the world. In September of 2001, due to minor infractions the County of Los Angeles ordered the closure of the facility to the public, and banned the intake of injured animals.

Waystation's Mission Statement:

"No wild or exotic animals, either foreign or native, will ever be refused sanctuary; medical help or whatever else necessary for the physical, mental or psychological welfare of the animal. The financial compensation shall not be a criterion for any animal in need of the Wildlife Waystation services"

Because of these values in their mission statement, the Wildlife Waystation has spent the money raised on the rescuing of animals and in doing so they have been in noncompliance with hundreds of minor local, state and federal mandates. In 2002, a Task Force was created by the County for the purpose of helping the Wildlife Waystation fix their citations. The Wildlife Waystation made great progress in fixing the citations, but then in September of 2001, the County of Los Angeles stated that they could no longer take in any wild animals and that all visitation to the property of "nonessential people" must stop.

The visitation of those "nonessential people", better know as you and me, are what keeps the Waystation a viable functioning organization. Without the means to raise money through site visits, holding charity benefits and the many educational shows that they put on, the Waystation is between a rock and a hard place. They can't raise enough money to keep the animals fed and finish making the rest of the improvements that the County of Los Angeles is requesting.

In March 2002, the Waystation's "Conditional Use Permit", issued by the County of Los Angeles, expired. The county told the Waystation that they could not renew their permit until all of the improvements have been made. The problem is that the County of Los Angeles has taken away their only means of fund raising .They are in a catch-22 and the city has them caught up in bureaucratic red tape.

If you can help in any small way, your donation will be greatly appreciated by the animals who have been saved and the ones still waiting to be saved.

To make a donation, please make your check payable to:

Wildlife Waystation
Angeles National Forest
P.O. Box 10378
Van Nuys, CA 91410-0378

http://www.waystation.org