Cape Wildlife Center’s Pending Closure Topic of Sunday Meeting

Eastern BluebirdBARNSTABLE – Despite the Humane Society of the United State’s decision to close down the Cape Wildlife Center later this month, an effort remains throughout the Cape to find a way to keep it open.

Barbara Birdsey, who donated her house to the Humane Society in the early 1990s out of which the facility now operates, is at the helm of the efforts.

“We’re discussing ways to keep the facility open bare bones during the winter months to ensure that the animals who can only be helped there aren’t left with nowhere to go,” Birdsey said.

According to the center, it rescues and rehabilitates over 2,500 wild animals per year, and acts as a wildlife hotline for an additional 5,000 animals.

But the Humane Society announced its closing last month, owing it to budgeting concerns.

“This is a three-quarters of a million dollar a year operation, we had to make very tough choices about where to put our resources,” said Michael Markarian, chief operating officer of the Humane Society of the United States.

A public meeting will be held on Sunday, November 13th at 2 p.m. inside Cape Cod Community College’s Lecture Building. The session will brainstorm possible solutions for the problem.

“We’re very hopeful that given some time and a huge response from the community, an entity or entities may be able to come in and continue to operate the program.”

If the center cannot continue to operate, the only facilities which treat wildlife and marine animals are Wild Care in Eastham and the National Marine Life Center in Buzzards Bay.

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