Testimonials
Wildlife in Crisis will forever hold a very special place in my heart.
Thank you for the amazing opportunity to have been part of such a wonderful organization. Dara took me under her wing. She taught me how to “identify, catch and calm” distressed animals, how to care for and clean; feed; love and nurture and then educate people to respect the animals and the world that we live in. I have always had an immense love for animals and nature as a whole. Having been part of WIC exceeded my wildest dreams. I had a hands on teacher who, along with her husband and a baby on her back, lived to better this world.Coming from South Africa I had never been in contact with raccoon’s or many of the other “American animals”. I was so impressed with the work WIC was doing. My summer t WIC felt like a week. It is so easy to get totally enthralled – making a positive difference.
Thank you Dara, witnessing your dedication and shear passion and compassion for nature is what led me to where I am today. Founder of Helping Animals Together—a companion animal rescue group in South Africa.
I have spent the past 8 years of my life committed to this important non-profit in Fairfield County. The only organization of its kind in the region, Wildlife in Crisis works to preserve wildlife through three important efforts: habitat preservation, environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation. The centerpiece of WIC is the wildlife hospital which nurtures over 5,000 injured and orphaned wild animals every year. In addition, WIC answers over 20,000 calls each year to help members of the community seeking counsel on how to help injured animals they encounter. WIC has done all of this with quiet resilience since 1988.
I have witnessed, first-hand, the extraordinary miracles performed at WIC… the barred owl struck by a car, saved and nurtured back to health; the mother raccoon beaten with a baseball bat while her babies were still nursing – all of the babies rehabilitated and released back into nature (the mother sadly succumbed to her injuries); the day-old fawn whose mother was struck by a train, nursed to adulthood and released… and that all happened in one day! From the tiniest of hummingbirds to majestic mammals, WIC accepts over 200 species and works tirelessly to give them all a second chance at life in the wild through quality care. Vital medicine, food, incubators and pre-release habitats…are only possible through generous donations from those who care.
I have had the great privilege to work as a weekly volunteer at Wildlife in Crisis. At WIC, injured wildlife are well cared for, rehabilitated and released back into the wild where they belong. Thank goodness there are people like Dara and the rest of the WIC staff in this world!
I volunteer at Wildlife in Crisis every Wednesday to care for the raptors and raccoons and to help in any way I can. Every week, I see firsthand the exceptional work being done there.
The legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden rightly said that the true test of our character is what we do when no one is watching. Dara and Peter set the bar higher than anyone I have ever met and instill those values in all who volunteer beside them. When no one is watching, someone feeds the hummingbirds every 20 minutes. When no one is watching, Dara drives six hours to consult with another vet about a fawn that other vets considered beyond help (In the end, Dara was right, and the fawn is thriving). When no one is watching, Peter patiently returns more than a hundred calls a day, treating each one as if it were the only one that day. When no one is watching, volunteer interns spend hours brainstorming how to cheer a suddenly reclusive beloved duck, how to teach an owl to perch, how to feed a fox that won’t eat. When no one is watching, someone checks on the animals multiple times every night to make sure all is well. When no one is watching, the team continues its work in the freezing rain, sweltering heat, and deep snow. It is a privilege to give money and time to this rarest of places, and I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with a team whose humble, committed character inspires me each time I visit.
We all have our charities that we support. Wildlife in Crisis is my charity and I encourage you to make it yours. We’re so fortunate to have Dara and WIC in our community. When I brought an injured fawn to WIC for help I was overwhelmed by the numbers and variety of animals. Raptors, songbirds, mammals, turtles and babies of every size and shape being cared for all day and night by volunteers and interns, AMAZING!
Working at Wildlife in Crisis has been unlike any other position I’ve held. Having never visited the facility before I began the internship, I could only gather impressions through the website and phone interviews. Everything I heard and read made me want to be a part of it. It sounded like WIC was a bit of the cure for human ignorance, giving back without reservations. It has been refreshing to work for a selfless organization that dedicates an immeasurable amount of time and energy to these animals. Working entirely for the welfare of other creatures has been incredibly gratifying. It was rewarding to witness the release of the animals, especially the raccoons because I had been working with them since they were little. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to help rehabilitate and raise numerous injured and orphaned animals alongside such talented and wonderful people. I’ve also been touched by people authentically concerned for wildlife, and it has amazed me that there are many compassionate people who go out of their way to save these animals. It makes me happy to see people genuinely wanting to help, and I hope that as WIC grows, more realize their vital role in helping save these animals.
At Wildlife in Crisis I learned the direct value of hard work: time and effort put into caring about and for the wildlife at the clinic meant healthier and happier animals. Coming into that clinic for the first time was equally inspiring and intimidating, both because of the diversity of animals needing help and also because of the dedication of the owners, interns, and volunteers. I will never forget all of the animals I cared for, the people I worked with, and the values I learned while I had the wonderful opportunity to experience all that is Wildlife in Crisis.
It is an honor to work as a volunteer at Wildlife in Crisis. There is nothing as inspirational and awe-inspiring as watching the tireless work of Dara, Peter, the interns and volunteers nurse orphaned wild animals until they can survive on their own … and then release them into the wild. Thank you for giving God’s creatures a second chance!
Straight out of college, I knew I wanted hands-on experience with animals, one that could not be taught in a classroom. With my internship at Wildlife in Crisis, I got just that and much much, much more. The hours were long, the work was very demanding but nowhere else could I experience the joy and reward of watching orphaned animals grow healthily in my care. I never thought that in one summer, I could raise more than a dozen fawns and also care for young woodchucks, foxes, ducklings, goslings and the permanent resident animals, but I did! The year I spent at Wildlife in Crisis (because 6 months wasn’t long enough for me) has taught me more than any job ever will. I now have the knowledge to raise a wide variety of animals and care for injured wildlife. WIC and all its animal residents will always have a special place in my heart. Thankfully, I still live in Connecticut and come volunteer whenever I can!
I have always loved animals of all shapes and sizes and from a young age I dreamed of a job where I would be able to work with and help animals. Wildlife in Crisis is an organization that turned my dreams into a reality. Working at WIC taught me more than how to aid orphaned and injured wildlife–it helped me realize that there are people in the world that still care about living in harmony with nature. It was inspiring to interact with so many members of the public that were willing to leave their comfort zone and catch an injured red tail or drive an hour to bring us a crying fawn. These unique experiences and the skills I learned while at WIC have prompted me to pursue a career in rehabilitation and conservation so that I too will have the opportunity to be an advocate for the natural world someday. Working at Wildlife in Crisis was the best job I’ve ever had and I continue to volunteer for this important organization as often as I can.