f.a.q.

Because ACRN is new, we are focused primarily where we are based, which is in the greater metropolitan area of Portland / Vancouver. We are especially centered on bringing change to Oregon law, as it is significantly more hostile to wildlife rehabilitation than its neighboring states of Washington or California.

Though this is where our attention is currently fixed, we are open to building relationships with groups in other parts of the Northwest, and welcome any who may wish to reach out. Regardless, our objective is to eventually extend our network to the entire Pacific Northwest.

Well-meaning people sometimes find a juvenile animal alone and, believing it to be orphaned, end up unintentionally kidnapping it. So it’s important to first determine whether or not the animal may actually be orphaned, or is just temporarily separated from its mother.

Click the link to the Urgent Care page for info to determine next steps. You can visit the Rehabbers page to determine where to take it. Note that in Oregon Audubon and Humane societies are required by law to euthanize on-site any non-native or domestic animals, respectively.

Our advocacy is expressed in a variety of  ways. Much of the education we provide to the public is meant to provide a deeper understanding of the wildlife we live with and debunking myths that perpetuate issues of safety to both the public and the animals. Some common examples include:

(1) Rabies. While this disease is a very real threat on the East Coast, it is virtually non-existent on the West Coast. The last documented case was over 10 years ago.

(2) Human contact causes a mother bird to reject her eggs or chicks. In reality, there are only a couple of bird species around the world that are put off by human contact this way. The vast majority of birds will return periodically for up to several days to retrieve their young. If you encounter bird eggs or chicks, please return them safely to their nest.

We also advocate directly on behalf of wildlife rehabilitators. ACRN will discuss in our blog or on social media the many hurdles rehabbers face, and give signal boosts to their voices. We are also in the works of launching a campaign to change existing state law and regulation that are outdated, counterproductive, or unnecessarily cruel to wildlife. Our ultimate goal is to facilitate change that will peel away the hostile environment imposed by the state that sews distrust and inhibits a flourishing wildlife conservation and rehabilitation apparatus.

There are two main functions ACRN serves in providing support. The first is lending our volunteers to help wildlife rehabilitators with projects such as the construction of enclosures or other facilities, coordinating release sites and intake overflow.

The other is to provide equipment, food and supplies. Some of this we acquire from donation funds, and some is provided from other rehabilitators who may be carrying these supplies in excess. We distribute these based on need.

ACRN is a fledgling organization with limited volunteers and resources. Thus at this time we are not currently in a position to give rehabilitators direct financial support. However it is our hope to eventually have the privilege of offering grants.

“There’s a local rehab center I like, why donate through ACRN instead of supporting them directly?”

If there’s a specific rehab center you would like to support directly, then you absolutely should. As ACRN establishes its network we plan to create a page where you can go to each affiliate’s donation page to do exactly that.

ACRN funding is spent on advocacy, education, and overhead maintenance (such as this website). What remains is either saved for emergent projects or used to provide indirect financial support to affiliated rehabilitators. By indirect financial support we mean that ACRN will purchase food and supplies for the rehabber, or  cover veterinarian bills.

If you would like to support ACRN’s mission or wildlife rehabilitation but don’t have a specific center in mind, you can donate to ACRN and we will distribute your support to rehabilitators based on need.

The bottom-line is that we want to see a healthier relationship between society in the Pacific Northwest and the wildlife that co-inhabit this beautiful land.

Achieving this means educating the public to understand the vital importance of our natural ecosystems, not just for the animals, but our own long-term survival. We need to encourage a greater respect for all wildlife and the role they play, even if certain animals may pose a nuisance at times.

This also requires healthy stewardship of wildlife, and less wardening. We need a robust wildlife rehabilitation apparatus, and states that do not suppress these efforts, but instead educates, encourages and incentivizes high-quality care.

Finally, we want to see rehab centers unified under their shared purpose. Many rehabilitators operate as their own islands. Yet while each center’s reach is limited, the mission of rehabilitation is ubiquitous across the region. ACRN aspires to build bridges between islands to form a network of support that strengthens wildlife conservation and rehabilitation efforts across the Pacific Northwest.