Our mission is to respond to the rehabilitative needs of sick, injured and orphaned Missouri mammals. We believe that all life possesses inherent value and that human life is enriched by sharing its habitat with wildlife. We have an obligation to respond to the rehabilitative needs of wildlife to the extent that our resources and capabilities allow and we endorse programs of cooperative planning which seek to provide services related to identified, regional wildlife needs with other organizations whose purposes or activities impact wildlife. Wildlife rehabilitation should recognize the physiological, environmental, social, developmental and safety needs of an individual animal and our rehabilitative care plans will be designed to assess and respond to those needs. Our efforts in the field of wildlife rehabilitation are enhanced by an educated, informed public and we accept and embrace our responsibility to promote community awareness of the benefits of wildlife rehabilitation and to provide educational programs and opportunities for children, youths and adults. Our ability to provide high quality rehabilitative services to the wildlife in our care is dependent upon our own ongoing education and we will continuously maintain memberships in professional organizations, subscribe to professional journals and periodicals, share date and techniques with other rehabilitators and, where feasible, provide research opportunities for students and other professionals. We have an obligation to select and maintain a competent, conscientious staff of individuals who are dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation and community education. We act as an advocate for wildlife on those issues, which impact wildlife population, health or habitat. Statement of Principles
In our efforts to meet the rehabilitative needs of Missouri wildlife, we have adopted the following principles to guide our operations:
We will provide adequate food, shelter and rehabilitative care for the wildlife for which we have accepted responsibility and will provide them with an opportunity to develop and recover in an environment that is reasonably natural for them. We will not allow the wildlife in our care to be subjected to commercial exploitation and/or unnecessary, inhumane and inappropriate medical experimentation or research. When appropriate, we will transfer wildlife in our care to other licensed, competent rehabilitative facilities. When necessary, we will euthanize wildlife in our care in a manner accepted by knowledgeable veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitation experts. We will not relocate wildlife solely for the benefit of a human population. We will avoid releasing wildlife into areas where hunting, trapping or rampant development may interfere with their safe existence.
