The rehabilitation of injured and orphaned fauna is a costly and specialised sector. Within Victoria volunteers who have established wildlife shelters generally undertake this work. They operate under permits granted under the Wildlife Act 1975. The permits specify the premises in which the wildlife shelter operates, as well as the name and location of any associated foster carers.
There are currently 241 authorised operators of Wildlife Shelters in Victoria. They are required to operate in accordance with a Code of Practice.75 In any one year around 9,000 animals from 427 different species are admitted to shelters in Victoria.76
The objective of Wildlife Shelters is to rehabilitate wild animals and restore them to the wild as soon as possible. In some cases this is not possible, due to the severity of the injuries or imprinting of human behaviour as a result of spending too long in captivity. 77
While a wildlife shelter will generally take in any species (with the exception of snakes, for which a licensed snake-catcher is required), some shelters offer specialist care for particular species, such as large or dangerous animals.
The operation of shelters is reliant on dedicated volunteers who require expertise in animal husbandry, as well as in techniques for rehabilitation and release of native wildlife. Such personnel not only operate the shelters, but also have to raise funds for specific feeding formulas, equipment and enclosures, as well as collect fauna, for example when displaced and burnt in bushfires. 78 They are not permitted to charge for their services, but may accept donations.
Issues
One of the operators of a wildlife shelter, who also operates an educational program known as the Possum Lady program, was concerned that the commercial utilisation of animals would greatly conflict with the message of preservation underlying her activities.79
