Strategic Plan 2018-2021 CALGARY WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY 11555-85th Street N.W. Calgary, AB, T3R 1J3 CALGARY 403-239-2488 WILDLIFE 403-266-2282 REHABILITATION SOCIETY
Our Mission The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (CWRS) is dedicated to providing professional veterinary treatment of injured and orphaned wildlife, valuable outreach and education services to the community and engaging all volunteers in motivational work and skill building experience. Our Vision CWRS will strive to be recognized as a provincial leader in the delivery of professional wildlife rehabilitation services as well as community outreach and education related to human-wildlife interactions. Our 1. To rescue and provide appropriate veterinary based care and treatment to injured and orphaned wildlife with the goal of releasing vigorous individuals capable of successfully returning to their natural habitat. 2. To provide relevant public education and outreach to schools and other community groups through presentations, visits, displays and literature. 3. To maintain connections with other local organizations whose primary interest is wildlife, environmental conservation and related public education. 4. To provide volunteer opportunities and service to community by making available a venue for members, service groups, and diverse community groups to contribute to a community service while acquiring new skills. 5. To conduct information gathering into the effectiveness of the Society s treatment and education programs. Our Pillars Quality of Life Contribute to the quality of life for wild animals and citizens. Best Care Engage in best care for wildlife patients and citizen services. Sustainable Relationships Foster sustainable relationships within the community and between wildlife and humans. 2.
25 Years of Service CWRS has a unique position of service within Calgary s community landscape. We are the only wildlife hospital in the City, a front-line service provider at the intersection of human and wildlife activity. The work is nuanced, complex and vital. Urban spaces continue to expand into previous wild areas increasing contact, both positive and negative, with wildlife populations. At the same time, it is becoming more and more apparent that our wild neighbors are not the only creatures that benefit from responsible stewardship; human health and happiness are interlinked with flourishing ecosystems. The value and need for our organization continues to grow as the reality of living in shared spaces is realized. CWRS is not just saving wild lives. We are managing crises. We are promoting awareness and understanding of natural cycles. We are providing solutions for wildlife related issues to the public. We are mentoring the next generation of front line animal workers. We are providing compassionate relief from suffering. We are inspiring awe and wonder for the natural world in our youth. We are supporting positive wildlife outcomes for all Calgarians, wildlife and human alike. In the 25 years since our inception (in 1993), we are proud to have become leaders in wildlife rehabilitation with release rates that are consistently among the highest in North America. In order to continue this trend, our organization needs to persist in being adaptable to change whether this is change in wildlife populations, change in best practices within the veterinary industry, change in philanthropic giving patterns, change in legislation, or change in social consciousness. After all, every good biologist knows that adaptability is the key to survival. This adaptability starts with an acknowledgement of the inherent value of all lives and the need to reframe some of our expectations and experiences of wildlife. From that acknowledgement comes the recognition that this work is essential and is driven by our social and ethical obligation to remediate the damage our wildlife incur from living in urban environments. Calgary s wildlife contribute to the diverse beauty and vibrant wealth of our city; they deserve to cared for in a way that preserves the dignity of their lives. This message and our responsibility to not only the wildlife that we care for but also the communities in which wildlife live is the aspiration of our current work and the foundation of our vision for the future. We talk about resilience in our work and this forms the bones of CWRS s strategic plan for the coming years; to nurture resilience within our organization, in our patients, in our staff and in the communities in which we serve. Andrea Hunt Executive Director 3.
Strategy 1: Quality of Life Contribute to the quality of life for wild animals and citizens Goal 1 Promote understanding of the inherent value of wildlife and that wildlife are deserving of respect, dignity and compassionate care. Advocate for the lives of wildlife impacted by human activity Enhance education programs to inspire youth and the community to appreciate wildlife and be responsible environmental stewards Engage media in meaningful and relevant stories about the plight of wildlife Provide compassionate euthanasia to injured wild animals that cannot reasonably be rehabilitated Add relevant new educational programming as is appropriate and timely 4. Regular contributions to local media outlets with wildlife-related content 200+ annual education programs at schools and community settings
Goal 2 Fostering healthy, meaningful, and safe connections between citizens and wildlife. Provide forums to educate public on dangerous wildlife behavior Provide information on the role of wildlife in the ecosystem Deter inappropriate behaviour with wildlife Create and maintain a page on our website with past and current articles on wildlife Add relevant and timely information to Living with Wildlife series as is appropriate 5. Living with Wildlife informational series Wildlife hotline Educational programming at schools and community settings
Strategy 2: Best Care Engage in best care for wildlife patients and citizen services Goal 1 Provide compassionate expert treatment to injured and orphaned wildlife. Contributed to Wildlife Organizational Review Committee and to revisions to the Animal Protection Act Members of the NWRA, IWRC, and AWRA* Maintain high standards of animal care Use international standards of best practice when implementing and reviewing policies and procedures for animal care Improve coordinated response to wildlife rescue Identify and address gaps in wildlife services within the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta Deliver quality, targeted educational and training opportunities that support best practice in animal care Collaborate with other reputable organizations to facilitate best animal care Ensure the ongoing ability of our organization to fund and sustain successful rehabilitation outcomes in support of our mandate Enhance current processes to better source community and corporate donations Enhance existing enclosures and create new spaces to allow for faster healing and release of patients Develop long-term sponsorship relationships 6. Permits: Provincial Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit, Federal Migratory Bird Permit, Federal Species at Risk Permit, Provincial Veterinary Practice License *See glossary Consistent, outstanding release rates
Goal 2 Provide accessible, transparent, and helpful wildlife-related services to citizens. Monthly articles in community newsletters that reach 194 Calgary and area neighbourhoods Wildlife Hotline Increased awareness of our free services to Calgarians Develop and improve on strategies to raise the public profile of CWRS Increase public awareness and understanding of Calgary s diverse wildlife Provide timely, compassionate advice and, when appropriate, intervention to citizens experiencing wildlife crises Increase followings on social media platforms by 25% Increase attendance at wildlife forums by 50% Link to relevant observed days on social media platforms Contribute monthly to local media outlet programming 7. Regular seasonally relevant informational posts on social media platforms
Strategy 3: Sustainable Relationships Foster sustainable relationships within the community and between wildlife and humans Goal 1 To bring increased awareness of living with wildlife to the community and general public. Develop a comprehensive communications plan and implement it Refresh branding to ensure alignment with strategic plan Increase engagement on relevant social media platforms 8. Photo: Creative Commons Where Do They Go? informational series on social media platforms
Goal 2 To develop long-term partnerships with funders, community stakeholders, post-secondary institutions, government organizations, volunteers and staff. Volunteer appreciation events Focus positively on volunteer wellbeing Provide meaningful internships to post-secondary students To be recognized as a leader in wildlife rehabilitation Hire post-secondary zoology, ecology, biology, veterinary medicine and AHT students for summer contract positions To be recognized as an essential service provider in Calgary To provide career-building education, mentorship and work experiences to post-secondary students Create innovative approaches to increasing volunteer access to information, knowledge and skills To value and appreciate the contributions of each volunteer and to provide the support necessary to best achieve our objectives while keeping volunteers long term. Create positive connections with other animal care organizations and services Integrate feedback, when possible, into educational and training programs Volunteer appreciation events 9. Well-developed training program for new volunteers Spearheaded PAC support group for animal care professionals.
Goal 3 Creation of employee and volunteer manuals To build capacity within the organization to support impact and growth. Acquisition of financial software to ensure transparency Yearly financial audit by reputable organization To ensure organizational systems and policies support CWRS, it s members, staff and volunteers Continue to identify and engage high potential corporations and foundations To build a robust foundation of financial stability Continue to review and create policies that provide structured support to staff, volunteers and members Develop a plan for staff/volunteer succession Develop and, when needed, implement an investment strategy Create documentation of board governance structure 10.
Glossary Alberta Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (AWRA) The Alberta Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (AWRA) promotes and monitors wildlife rehabilitation in the Province of Alberta through education and unified standards. Best Practices A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to any alternatives because it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing things. CWRS follows the minimum standard guidelines of the leading wildlife rehabilitation research and date collation agencies, the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and the National Wildlife Rehabilitator s Association. Additionally the staff of CWRS keep up-to-date on current research, techniques, and products available to the field of wildlife rehabilitation to ensure that the organization is meeting the highest standards of care. Euthanasia Wild animals that sustain injuries or illnesses preventing them from living successfully in the wild are usually euthanized (have their suffering ended in a humane fashion). In the context of a veterinary wildlife rehabilitation facility such as CWRS humane euthanasia takes the form of an intravenous injection of a barbiturate or other deep sedative paralytic agent under deep inhalant anesthesia. In the absence of the skill or license to use these agents, humane euthanasia can be performed in many ways including cervical dislocation, decapitation, exsanguination, gunshot, pithing or blunt force trauma. International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) provides science-based education and resources on wildlife rehabilitation to promote wildlife conservation and welfare worldwide. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) The National Wildlife Rehabilitator's Association (NWRA) is dedicated to improving and promoting the profession of wildlife rehabilitation and its contributions to preserving natural ecosystems. Orphaned For the purposes of wildlife rehabilitation, a wild animal is considered orphaned when the primary care giving parent has been confirmed dead, has abandoned her young for a critical period (this period is species specific), or is unable to care for her offspring due to natural or artificial interference. Wildlife Wildlife traditionally refers to undomesticated animal species occupying an ecosystem, but has come to include all plants, fungi, and other organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Additionally, CWRS considers any invasive, wild species that is well established in the ecosystem to be wildlife deserving of care. 11.
CALGARY WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY For more information about our programs and services please visit: www.calgarywildlife.org Created with thanks to: 12. All photos courtesy of Andrea S. H. Hunt except where noted