Frequently Asked Questions

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• Most people do not understand how busy we are.  Depending on the time of year, the shear number of birds needing care take up all the time.
• SFWs is a one woman show with no, receptionist, secretary, accountant, maintenance department, runners, or fund raisers.  Linda does it all!
• SFWs is a home based rehab center, which can only accommodate 2 volunteers (which we have).  However, the day to day activites are the full responsibility of one person.

• You will be given a number (#) at the time you drop off a bird
• You can text (no phone calls, please) five (5) days after drop off for a status or prognosis.  It takes up to 5 days for many symptoms to show, and depending on the condition of the bird, (such as, dehydrated or starvation), the bird may die in those first few days.
• If you text prior to 5 days, your text will not be answered.  We need those 5 days to provide a good prognosis.
• if you text several months from date of drop off, your text may not be answered as file may closed

Again, one person is responsible for day to day activities.  The National Wildlife Rehabilitation  Association did a survey a few years ago and found that full time, wildlife rehabbers, put in an average 37 1/4 hours every week.

• During the peak season a single day in a rehabbers life could easily be 12-16 hours in a day
• For a minimum of $160 donation, you can get 2 additional follow ups
• Unfortunately without a donation, SFWs simply cannot provide additional follow ups

Again, this is a non paying, full time job.   It is done because the rehabber has a deep connection  & deep passion for helping these birds survive.  The birds always come first.

There simply is not enough hours in the day to provide detailed follow ups to finders.

• It costs $160 simply to take one bird in
• Many birds are wintered over at the cost of about $90 a month (on the lean side)  in food per bird, that can add up to about $1,800 per month depending on the number of birds held over due to their injury
• Most large rescue organization get the donations because  they can advertise and are well known.  Most home based rehabbers work on a shoe string budget, often paying for costs themselves
• SFWs asks for a donation at the time a bird is dropped off.  We NEVER insist on one, and do not put a dollar amount on donation.  However, only about 10% of people give a donation .  The most common response to this is: people think it should be free as these are wild animals.  I understand this, however I ask the public to understand:  It is free to you but not free to me.

• Yes.  When there is no more room and we are at capacity.
• SFWs NEVER turns down a bird if a donation is not made.
• SFWs takes in between 100 and 130 birds annually
• In the past 10 years, SFWs has successfully rehabilitated & released over 500 rators!