Texas wildlife center says it was given 60 days to move or shut down
A group of animal caregivers in the Lone Star State said they need the public's support after city officials gave them an ultimatum to either relocate or close their doors.
The North Texas Wildlife Center, in a June 28 Instagram post, said it is "at risk of being shut down."
"At this time, our organization is striving to be as resilient as the wildlife we care for," the North Texas Wildlife Center posted on its Facebook page Tuesday, July 1. "We need your voice. We need your action. We need your support."
The facility, according to its website, helps rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned and injured "native Texas wildlife."
The center needs a new facility with outdoor space to continue helping local wildlife, the center's spokesperson, Rebecca Hamlin, confirmed to USA TODAY.
Hamlin said the center, the biggest multispecies wildlife center in North Texas, operates out of a house its founders and president previously purchased.
What kind of animals are at North Texas Wildlife Center?
The center is permitted for all native wildlife, ranging from opossums, skunks, raccoons to songbirds, waterfowl, reptiles, and amphibians, Hamlin said.
The facility, which consists of 50 volunteers and five staff members, has taken in more than 2,600 sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife since Jan. 1, a 50% increase since last year, according to Hamlin.
"Our onsite team is caring for 200 animals daily and around the clock," Hamlin said. "Between offsite rehabbers (we have 50), we have 600 animals under our care for rehab to release back into the wild."
Hamlin confirmed that the center's goal is to raise $250,000, and as of July 1, it had raised about $100,000.
"We started fundraising for a bigger facility in April," she said.
How long does the center have to find a new location?
According to the center's June 28 Instagram post, it received a phone call from the City of Plano's Business Department informing the facility it was "not permitted to operate a facility that generates foot traffic from a residential area."
"As a result, we have 60 days to find a new location or we will be forced to close our doors," the post continues.
USA TODAY reached out to the City of Plano on July 1 but has not received a response.
If a new location is not found within 60 days, the center will close, according to facility leaders.
"This isn't about us − it's about the countless injured, orphaned, and displaced wild animals we care for each year, our volunteers who dedicate their time, and the community we serve every day," the Instagram post reads. "We're now in a race against the clock to secure a new property that fits city requirements."
In addition to the donations, the center asked the public to share any information on "available properties, land, or partnerships that could help (them) relocate."
How to help North Texas Wildlife Center
The Facebook post includes links that allow people to help the center.
To donate cash:
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
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