Vimy, a young wild wolf recovering at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, needed an important follow-up examination after surgery to repair two broken legs. Rather than requiring him to travel for specialized veterinary care, the National Wildlife Centre’s veterinary team went to him.
Travelling more than two hours to the wildlife rehabilitation centre, the team brought the equipment needed to examine Vimy and take new X-rays to assess how his legs were healing. The visit brought hopeful news: Vimy was on the mend and continuing to receive excellent rehabilitative care.
Cases like Vimy’s are exactly why the National Wildlife Centre’s Mobile Wildlife Hospital was created.
Established in 2014 and led by NWC co-founder and medical director Dr. Sherri Cox, the accredited Mobile Wildlife Hospital was developed in response to a growing need for specialized veterinary care for wildlife across Ontario. Many wildlife rehabilitation centres care for injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife but may not have access to the veterinary equipment or services needed for more complex medical cases.
The solution was to bring the hospital to them.
When deployed, the Mobile Wildlife Hospital is typically operated by NWC’s veterinary team in collaboration with the wildlife rehabilitators already caring for the animal. Depending on the case, the team may include a veterinarian, veterinary technicians, and support staff.
Equipped with portable diagnostic imaging, oxygen, anesthesia, and patient-monitoring equipment, along with specialized veterinary tools, the Mobile Wildlife Hospital allows the team to provide a wide range of care in the field. This can include examinations, X-rays, wound management, medical treatments, anesthesia, and, when appropriate in a rehabilitation setting, surgery.
Bringing these capabilities directly to wildlife can be especially important for large, fragile or highly stressed animals for whom transportation may be difficult. It also allows NWC’s team to respond to wildlife emergencies where an animal has not yet been safely brought into care or needs assistance in an unsafe or inappropriate location.
Want to help us keep care moving?
The National Wildlife Centre is in need of a new digital X-ray plate and computer for our portable X-ray system. This equipment is essential for diagnosing fractures, injuries, and other medical conditions during mobile hospital calls. The replacement equipment is expensive. If you can help, every donation brings us closer to getting this vital equipment back in service and helping more animals receive the care they need. To support this initiative, please consider making a donation on our website or contact director@nationalwildlifecentre.ca for more information. Thank you for helping us care for wildlife when they need us most. ❤️🐾
