By Denys Hemen, Hospital Manager

Spring and summer are fast paced and exciting at CWC. Patients pour in through the doors and we never know what surprises await us each day. This time of year, all our focus is on the thousands of wild animals we receive that need our help. But as fall arrives, our patient load drops, and we can focus on other things like construction and remodeling. This year, we may have overdone it a little! My hardworking partner Brett and I have three major enclosures to construct and a kitchen/laundry room to create. Just writing about them makes me exhausted.

Our first project is a 4ft wide and 40ft long outdoor enclosure that allows our raptor patients some privacy away from humans while still recovering from what ails them. Divided into five 8ft x 4ft holding areas, this enclosure is a middle step between being in a small enclosure inside our clinic and going into a large aviary. It allows us to continue to medicate if needed but at the same time allow for fresh air, sunshine, more room to move around, and freedom from humans’ constant presence. The funding for this project was provided by Third District Supervisor, Sheila Kuehl.

Up next is an aviary complex that includes a 32ft x 8ft x 8ft songbird aviary and a 20ft x 8ft songbird aviary that can be divided into up to 5 separate enclosures. They will be bright and airy, complete with a roosting area, privacy walls, and plenty of room for perching. Most of the wood used in this project once covered the windows of Los Angeles businesses during the social justice protests of last summer. This donated wood saved us hundreds of dollars and kept good lumber out of landfills. Our smaller current songbird aviary complex will be torn down to make room for our new 20ft x20ft mammal enclosure that will house bobcats, coyotes, and foxes!

Last but not least, we will be converting an underutilized space (very rare for CWC!) inside the building into a much needed, second laundry and food prep area.

If you want to donate to support any of these projects, check out our website at www.cawildlife.org. You can also purchase construction related items by clicking the “support us” tab on the website and look for our Amazon Wishlist. Time for a nap! Take care y’all.