From Staff Reports
Watkins Wildlife Rehab Center hosted its annual open house recently at the facility in Sedgewickville, Mo. The Watkins Wildlife Rehab Center is a nonprofit organization and this event allows the public to see how the facility is organized and ran. During the open house, the center had many wild animals in the process of being rehabilitated back into the wild. As the summer and 'baby' season continues many more will arrive and leave the facility in the process of rehabilitating them to the wild.
The Watkins Wildlife Rehab Center has been owned and operated by John and Carolyn Watkins since 1969. The center switched to non-profit in 2000 after having privately funded the center for 31 years. The center is also both state and federally recognized, resulting in them receiving animals from all over the United States, including National Wildlife Refuges like Mingo. The center in fact just received a few babies from Mingo a week before the event, after Mingk had a box of baby possums dumped on them. Many people, including Mingo prefer to drop these animals that need rehabilitating off at Skyview Animal Clinic in Cape Girardeau, Mo. because it provides a closer access. The public is advised to call Skyview or Watkins Wildlife Rehab before removing an animal from the wild or dropping them off for rehabilitating.
Located originally in Cape Girardeau from 1969 until 1993, the owners moved the facility to Sedgewickville in 1993 to provide more space and less stress on the animals from human noise. Now located on a good size acred farm, animals such as the deer are rehabilitated right on the property. Field trips are available to be organized on the property site or they also travel bringing portable animals to the site of the students. One of the most common animals they use for educational purposes is the 9 year old coyote, Silver, who after being raised by humans as a puppy was unsuccessfully rehabilitated into the wild. Other animals such as baby raccoons, possums, Skunks and even baby bobcats are able to be brought to a school or function for educational programs.
For more information about the facility or for scheduling a field trip, the public may contact Watkins Wildlife Rehab Center at 573-866-3436.