P.E.I. wildlife rehabilitation facility in dire need of expansion

Sweet Gallant of Southwest Lot 16, P.E.I., is elevating funds for a new wildlife facility to assist handle the inflow of animals on her property.

Gallant has a authorized allow to rehabilitate and launch wildlife, however she’d rescued animals secretly for 48 years earlier than being acknowledged by the provincial authorities final 12 months.

“It is a full 180 from what I used to do. Now I am making an attempt to make my property look presentable and never shabby, the place earlier than I used to be form of camouflaging all the things and doing all the things actually undercover,” she stated.

“It is a full new life for me this 12 months.”

We have to have an space the place we will quarantine some animals that are available in.— Cora Sonier, volunteer

Gallant says her enterprise has greater than tripled — the place she used to get 800 or so calls per 12 months, she now will get simply as many calls each 4 months.

And he or she wants extra room to maintain up.

“I am hoping to have a really good constructing that’s winter- and summer-friendly, so my injured animals that come by the winter have a spot that is away from people,” she stated.

“They’ll rehabilitate themselves, and get wholesome sufficient to be launched with out turning into habituated — which has confirmed to be an issue prior to now as a result of I needed to disguise them in my home.”

Unsure how lengthy the present constructing will likely be upright

Cora Sonier works with Gallant as a volunteer and says funds will go towards making a dream facility and go away a spot for future generations to maintain.

“Ultimately we will wish to construct a pleasant facility that is going to have separated rooms for various animals, in order that they don’t seem to be all caught in the identical space,” Sonier stated.

“We have to have an space the place we will quarantine some animals that are available in … there needs to be plumbing, there needs to be electrical energy.”

Sonier stated they don’t seem to be simply searching for donors, however volunteer tradespeople to assist with renovations and development.

The constructing they’ve now’s in “tough form” and the barn has had so many animals by it at this level that she’s undecided how for much longer it’s going to keep upright. 

‘I wish to present them the place it is going’

Along with a brand new constructing, Gallant additionally desires a flight cage for predator birds, a fenced-in space for animals like foxes and extra.

She goals to work towards a facility much like Hope Swinimer’s property in Nova Scotia. Swinimer runs Hope for Wildlife, a charitable, wildlife rehabilitation facility in Seaforth, N.S., set on a huge 8.5-hectare property.

Gallant calls Swinimer an inspiration and desires individuals to be simply as excited to go to her personal facility right here on Prince Edward Island.

“I would like to have the ability to be proud and let individuals come and see my facility and be pleased with the place their cash goes,” she stated.

“Proper now they’re giving me cash blindly out of fine religion, so I wish to present them the place it is going.”

The primary fundraiser is scheduled for June 4 on the New London Neighborhood Centre.