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> Rehabilitation, Release, and Sanctuary
 Rehabilitation,
Release, and Sanctuary
by Angela Grimes, Associate Executive Director
The term rehabilitation refers to the process
of caring for an animal who is native to our area and has
been injured, become ill, or been deprived of the care of
his or her mother.
These animals are in need of either medical
or supportive care, which will bring them back to a state
of good health, or, in the case of infant and young animals,
assist them in developing to a stage of independence. In both
cases once the animal is well enough and able to care for
his/herself, they are set free in a protected wild land where
they can live a life that is free of human interference and
intervention.
Animals who live in a sanctuary setting here
at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (WRR) are animals
who are either non-native or native non-releasable. The non-native
animals are those such as monkeys, iguanas, hedgehogs, and
others who we have been rescued from laboratories, private
hands, and roadside attractions. These animals cannot return
to their native country as these countries will not accept
them, and in many cases, it would be difficult for them to
survive on their own as they have never had to do so. Many
who have been victimized by the pet trade have grown so accustomed
to humans that they would make the fatal mistake of approaching
someone and would likely be killed.
The animals here at WRR who are members of
native species and who cannot be set free are those we have
been rescued from private hands and roadside attractions.
The cougars, black bears, and jaguars who live at the WRR
sanctuary cannot be set free because they were declawed and
often defanged by the people who purchased them and held them
captive in inhumane and unnatural settings. These animals
will never again know the joy of freedom even though they
live in their native land.
It is important to realize that all wild animals
who must live in captivity live very diminished lives. Even
here at WRR where they have very spacious areas consisting,
in many cases, of several acres, they are still captive. Make
no mistake, each animal is acutely aware of the fact that
he/she is in captivity. I feel certain that no wild animal
would ever choose captivity over freedom. This is why it is
so important to allow wildlife the freedom that is their birthright.
Humans have no right to place animals in captive
settings for the sake of our "education" and entertainment.
Whales live in the oceans of this planet, not in tanks. Elephants,
seals, dolphins, chimpanzees, parrots, snakes, and lions are
not here to work for humans, they are here for their own reasons,
and we have a responsibility to let them live here in the
peace they deserve.
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