The Wildlife Care Clinic stretches its connections far beyond

the few buildings it inhabits in the College of Veterinary

Medicine.

Central Iowa residents provide permanent homes for injured

wildlife, and volunteer time and expertise to the nonprofit

organization.

Sharon Atwood takes in animals from many different sources

around her home in Baxter.

The Wildlife Care Clinic provides her with animals that are

injured and unable to be released back into the wild, she said.

These animals become permanent residents of Atwood’s countryside

property.

Atwood, who works at Newton Animal Clinic, also receives many

injured and orphaned animals from the Department of Natural

Resources, Animal Rescue Leagues, the Sheriff’s Department and the

general public, she said.

Not only is Atwood called upon to provide a permanent home for

some animals, but she also rehabilitates and nurses some of the

animals back to health so they can be released back into the

wild.

“I get them back on the road again,” she said. “I keep the

animals until they are mature enough to survive or are healed.”

Atwood said she also keeps temporary quarters set up for the

different animals brought to her until they can be released back

into the wild.

Once they are released, Atwood said it may take the animals some

time to readjust to their habitat.

“Orphaned owls come back for the first month or two for feedings

and take food,” she said. “Then they gradually learn to hunt their

own prey.”

While caring for and rehabilitating the animals offer a lot of

rewards, Atwood admitted she “can get burned out easily too.”

She said she receives many orphaned raccoons when they are less

than a week old and they can be very time-consuming.

“It’s hard when you have 10 to 12 raccoons and you are trying to

bottle-feed everything on your lunch hour,” she said. “All of them

screaming at the same time.”

In addition to the taking in wildlife, outsiders also provide

the clinic with much needed advice.

Marlene Ehresman is sometimes called upon by the clinic for her

expertise on wildlife. Ehresman is a program and planning associate

for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization

that protects Iowa’s natural land, water and wildlife. She has

worked closely with the Wildlife Care Clinic since it opened in

1984.

Ehresman used to provide workshops to train volunteers and

students at the clinic when it was first opened and has also worked

as a coordinator for the clinic for a few years, she said.

Ehresman currently offers advice to the clinic on legal matters

and answers questions regarding the release of particular wildlife

and the best habitat available for the releases back to the natural

environment.

“The Wildlife Care Clinic could provide a valuable service to

central Iowa and the students in the community,” she said.

“They don’t get the same recognition and support that they

should. It needs to be taken seriously.”