mission statement

To provide responsible care for the ill, injured, and orphaned wildlife of south central Wisconsin and to promote education and awareness of the crucial role of wildlife in our community.

2006 intake & release statistics

During the 2006 season, FLWC admitted 410 ill, injured, and orphaned animals. Of those, 229

• American Kestrel - 3
• American Crow - 6
• American Robin - 46
• Barn Owl - 3
• BAOR - 1
• BASW - 7
• BCCH - 1
• Blue Jay - 14
• CAGO - 4
• Catbird - 2
• Cedar Waxwing - 6
• Chimney Sweep - 2
• Grackel - 12
• COHA - 4
• Domestic Duck - 1
• DOWO - 1
• Eastern Bluebird - 6
• Eastern Cottontail - 3
• ESOW -4
• Starling - 32
• Flicker - 1
• Flycatcher - 2
• Great Horned Owl - 3
• GRHE - 1
• House Finch - 21
• House Sparrow - 64
• HOWR - 1
• Kildeer - 1
• Kingfisher - 1
• Mallard - 83
• Meadowlark - 1
• Morning Dove - 10
• Night Heron - 1
• NIHA - 1
• Northern Cardinal - 8
• Osprey - 1
• Pheasant - 1
• Pigeon - 1
• Pine Siskin - 2
• RBGU - 2
• RODO - 3
• Red Tailed Hawk - 4
• RWBL - 4
• SSHA - 2
• Swallow - 6
• Thrush - 2
• Turkey - 2
• Vireo - 1
• Wooduck - 11
• Yellow Warbler - 1

   

  • Died - 142
  • Euthanized - 26
  • released - 229
  • transferred - 2

history

The Four Lakes Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization working in conjunction with the Dane County Humane Society. David Madden, the animal care director at the Dane County Humane society, and Patrick Comfert, a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator, founded the program in the spring of 2002. In that first summer alone the fledgling wildlife program received over 200 patients.

After the first summer’s overwhelming influx of wildlife it became clear that volunteers would be needed to help expand and improve the program. Fortunately, a small group of volunteers stepped up to the challenge and helped make the wildlife season of 2003 a success. Grants and donations from companies such as U.S. Cellular, The Home Depot, and other local groups such as the Wildlife, Exotic, and Zoo Animal Medicine Club at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine helped to make many improvements possible. Community volunteers and a local Eagle Scout Troup pitched in to help build outdoor cages and a large aviary and an incubator was donated from the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control commission.

With the outpouring of community support and an excited team of volunteers, the wildlife program progressed into its third season. Much planning and training was done to get the wildlife program ready to receive the spring rush. The spring and summer of 2004 proved to be even more successful than the previous season. The number of volunteers became large enough to care for a wider variety of animals and to keep the wildlife room doors open from morning to night. Community donors such as the Gardner Thrift Store and Copp’s Grocery Store generously contributed bread and produce to help defray the costs of feeding so many wild babies. The wildlife room was fitted with a telephone, washbasins, and a new system of record keeping to improve the quality of care.

As the summer of 2004 came to an end, a larger team of volunteers began meeting to consider improvements for the coming year. Development of a list of long and short term goals ensued and volunteers once again stepped up to begin the process of attaining those goals. These goals include improvement of outdoor caging, plumbing, development of better organizational system for animal care, increased fundraising and community outsourcing, expansion of the volunteer base and training program, and eventual transition into a year round program.

Four Lakes Wildlife Center is now in its sixth year and like many of the animals cared for here at FLWC, the program has room to grow and the future is very promising.

	Keep Current! Subscribe to FLWC's email list.
	Email:
	Browse Archives at groups.google.com