News for Friends of Wildlife Rehabilitators

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Species Specific Training for New Volunteers

All new volunteers must attend the basic workshop. New volunteers must also complete one or more of the species specific training sessions in order to be eligible to rehabilitate wildlife with Friends of Wildlife. Volunteers may sign up for these sessions at the basic training workshop or register for them by phone after the workshop. Please call the information line at 734-913-9843 OR call the pager of the species you wish to rehabilitate. Species break out groups are usually held on different dates and usually held once the coordinators have the animals to rehabilitate.

The following is a list of scheduled sessions:

• Raccoon:   TBA
• Rabbit:   TBA
• Volunteer opportunities for non-rehabilitators:   TBA
• Opossum: TBA
• Woodchuck:   TBA
• Squirrel:   TBA
• Turtle:   TBA
• Fox:   TBA
• Deer:   Individual training appointments may be scheduled for volunteers with over three acres of land and an appropriate building for housing fawns. Please contact Karen at (734) 645-3552 to schedule deer rehabilitation training.

For time and location details or for any inquiries regarding these training sessions, please call the Information Line at (734) 913-9843.

Notice updated April 2007.

Help Friends of Wildlife Get Organized: Join a Committee!

The Friends of Wildlife board recently created a number of committees to help it better manage the organization and increase member involvement. The following is a list of current committees:

• Membership Committee (volunteers, placement, statistics)
• Education Committee (annual workshops, educational programs for the public)
• Ethics and Standards Committee (volunteer standards, DNR regulations)
• Media Committee (newsletter, Web site, publicity materials)
• Nominating Committee (seeks candidates for the board)
• Correspondence Committee (donation thank-you letters, general inquiries)
• Fund-Raising Committee (fund-raising events and sales, donation drives)
• Budget Committee (financial management)

If you can volunteer your time and talents to any of these committees, please call the Information Line at (734) 913-9843.

Notice posted March 2004.

Free Resource! Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 3rd Edition

The Michigan DNR is using the recommendations given in the NWRA/IWRC joint publication Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 3rd Edition as guidelines for the housing and care of wildlife while in the possession of a rehabilitator. This publication is available from the NWRA Web site both for purchase and as a free downloadable PDF file. Visit NWRA Free Resources to access this document and other free documents from NWRA.

Notice posted November 2003.

Changes in Michigan DNR Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit Regulations

In June 2003 the DNR approved new regulations for the issuing of wildlife rehabilitation permits. The new regulations are available under the heading "Rehabilitation Permit Regulations" on the Hunting, Wildlife, & Habitat publications section of the DNR Web site.

The link on the publications page opens a pdf version of the regulations. Here is a direct link to the pdf file: Rehabilitation Permit Regulations.

All Friends of Wildlife rehabilitators should read these new regulations. Rehabilitators with questions relating to the DNR policy changes are encouraged to contact their species coordinators, the Friends of Wildlife Information Line at (734) 913-9843, or the DNR directly (see their Web site for contact information).

Notice posted July 2003.

FOW Board Recommends West Nile Virus Precautions

The Friends of Wildlife board strongly recommends that rehabilitators place mosquito netting around all outdoor animal enclosures as a precaution against the spread of West Nile Virus. Please contact your species coordinator immediately if you suspect that an animal under your care has contracted this virus.

This notice appeared in the Spring 2003 newsletter.