Tasmania’s first and only fully dedicated 24/7 wildlife hospital is embarking on an ambitious mission to build a larger and state-of-the-art hospital and rehabilitation facility for animals in need, but it won’t be cheap.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary helps over 15,000 animals annually, a number only expected to increase by around 500 to 1,000 “every single year”.
Director Greg Irons says the sanctuary is now looking to raise $1 million in donations through a ‘big, bold, and ambitious’ new fundraising campaign to keep up with increase in demand.
“Many people do not realise the costs involved in saving wildlife … Bonorong has shouldered the responsibility and cost of most of our services for over ten years, to the tune of millions of dollars,” Irons said.
“Now we [are reaching] out for help to build a facility that these animals deserve.”
Since 2010, the sanctuary has been self-funded, with an annual expenditure exceeding $1.6 million per year.
He says the Elsie Cameron Foundation has generously committed to match donations up to $1 million, potentially reaching a grand total of $2 million.
The funds will be used to build a state-of-the-art animal hospital with sterile surgery facilities, an intensive care unit, recovery room, quarantine section and critical care and rescue coordination area.
The new hospital will allow for longer operating hours, enabling wildlife with painful injuries to be treated more promptly.
