Fall 2023

This western screech owl was seriously injured in a vehicle collision and required surgery to survive. The veterinarians at the SPCA performed a successful surgery, and after a month of recovery, the owl was released back into the wild. cial creatures who end up making the Wildlife Center their permanent home. “We have one resident hawk named Dede who was hit by a car,” Brookhouser says. “Her wing droops and she has a traumatic brain injury. She can’t fly or be released, and she is very calm around people, so we use her as an education bird. She’s not our normal patient but she is healthy and happy in captivity.” SPCA Monterey County operates entirely from generous donations. “I think we are one of the better funded facilities and we are so lucky to be under the SPCA umbrella,” Duits-Cavanaugh says.“We have the ability to worry a little bit less if we don’t meet ends because other departments can offset that a little bit.We are very, very fortunate with that.” Another special perk for the facility is the number of—and enthusiasm of—its ded- icated volunteers, who are cherished. Beth Brookhouser illustrates it with one example.“We rely on volunteers during baby bird season.They need to be fed every 10 minutes to every hour. They sleep at night, but from 7am until 7pm, the wildlife center is a cacophony of alarm clocks going off to feed the babies. Picture 100 baby birds needing to be fed more than every half hour. Our volunteers are amazing.They prep diets, do laundry, clean cages.” If you want to report an animal in need of care, the Monterey County SPCA website or hotline outlines what to do.“If a wildlife animal is injured or orphaned, we are always available.They can call and give us the situa- tion and we can get them the proper resources or provide education. Call if you are ever unsure,” Duits-Cavanaugh reminds us. SPCA Monterey County agents work every mile of our vast county, and are there to serve the dozens of species of wild animals as well as the humans who want the best for them. For more information, visit www.spcamc.org or call 831/264-5427. The center, which is run under the umbrella of the greater SPCA, is a place where lives are saved and controlled chaos is a daily occurrence. The seasoned professionals there are used to it. 124 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 3