Intern Beverly Loo tube-feeds an American Crow. Photo by Heather Patrice Brown

by Beverly Loo, Intern

California Wildlife Center is one of the most unique organizations you will find if you need a safe place to drop off an injured or orphaned animal for rescue and rehabilitation. This former ranger station is home not only to hundreds of patients per week but also to dozens of volunteers, interns, and staff members who work seven days a week, 365 days a year, to give the best care to our wild neighbors. The difference between CWC and other veterinary hospitals is more than just the type of animals that come into our care, although there is no other place you would be able to see a Striped Skunk, Elephant Seal, and Golden Eagle all in one day! To me, the difference is in the team behind the name.

As a second-time intern, I have had the good fortune of working with an amazing group of volunteers, interns, and staff. We have exceptional volunteers who come on their days off to volunteer their time once a week. We have enthusiastic interns who fly from the East Coast just to experience a summer at the Center. And we have dedicated staff who drive from all over Los Angeles to work at this incredibly rewarding job.

My favorite memories (so far!) at California Wildlife Center are exchanging funny stories with my fellow interns while doing (seemingly endless) laundry, learning to tube-feed a Hawk while being carefully instructed by one of our extremely knowledgeable wildlife technicians, and releasing one of our patients back into the wild after a successful rehabilitation. With all these amazing experiences, it is no wonder why I came back for a second summer at CWC! As a fourth-year college student currently applying to vet school, there is no place I’d rather be than here. Thanks to the great people, this has become one of my favorite places ever to work.