10/20/2026
A Letter from Carol Poole, Board President of Napa Wildlife Rescue
Dear Wildlife Protector,
This year, we had the astonishing experience of raising seven Great Horned Owls at once. Each one was a testament to the personality and individualism of the patients we see. The seven baby owls came to our clinic at different times during early summer (two sets of owl siblings and three solo owls) and were initially placed in separate small enclosures. Eventually, all of them were placed together in a large flight aviary for several months. At first, we didn’t think we could tell them apart. But as we had time to observe them, we began to see their distinctive preferences and even their individual faces. I wonder, is this how we appear to them? The power of time and observation opened a richer and more nuanced world of owls, moving them from one homogenous species into individuals who deserved specialized care and attention. For me, it was a potent reminder that each animal is different and every life counts. And that is why we are here. Since 2013, we have done our best to save over 18,800 individual lives.
This year, 2026, is the 35th year of Napa Wildlife Rescue’s existence. What was once a coalition of volunteers working out of their homes or from a small transient trailer has now become a well-established, professionally run, volunteer organization. We are well respected by our peers, as well state and federal agencies, and consider ourselves a critical component of local and national organizations working to support wildlife. We now have a permanent home for our clinic and every day we are becoming more well known through our education and outreach efforts. We are taking in more patients than ever before, not only from the Napa Valley but from our surrounding counties. Animals are getting the help they need.
By the beginning of October 2026, we cared for 1,903 animals, 145 different species. In 2025, we cared for 1,983 animals, 119 different species. By the end of December, we anticipate we will have seen more animals than in 2025. What does this mean for our day-to-day operations?
• We had more than 3000 calls to our Hawk-line
• We gave programs on wildlife to 47 elementary classrooms (reaching more than 1,200 students)
• We cleaned 200 barn owl boxes
• We introduced 22 passionate interns to work that may lead to a career in wildlife
• And we were carried forward by over 100 volunteers
However, it must be said that all this growth has a downside; our operations have become increasingly expensive. In 2025, the cost of running the organization was $1,440 per day. This includes payroll, insurance, facilities, food for animals, medications and medical supplies.
We are now dipping into our financial reserves to make ends meet.
We do not operate with the security of an endowment. Whereas lost and feral domestic animals (cats & dogs) get millions in government funds for care and shelter in Napa County, less than 2% of the money needed to care for wildlife comes from government. Even so, when Animal Control needs assistance with wildlife, we are the ones who provide that support. Without us, the county has nothing.
This begs the question, why isn’t wildlife rehabilitation well-funded? At best, I think it’s because wildlife has traditionally been regarded as being able to care for itself. At worst, wildlife is regarded as a pest to get rid of. But the facts remain, the world of wildlife has been dramatically altered by humans. Wildlife habitat, corridors, and food sources have been greatly diminished. Every day, we see wildlife negatively impacted by automobiles, window strike, night lighting, outdoor cats, rodenticides and careless tree trimming. Almost all the animals that come to us have been harmed by human behavior. At Napa Wildlife Rescue, we believe that we owe them a second chance at life.
Our funds come from people like you and me. We are people who care about wildlife and see how it enriches our lives. We are fortunate enough to have learned that wildlife is a vital part of a healthy ecosystem and we deeply cherish the remaining biodiversity. We want to protect wildlife.
I’ve been contemplating what would happen without Napa Wildlife Rescue, given that we are the only organization in Napa County that can do this work.
The hard truth is that without us, most of the thousands of animals we see would die.
• There would be no one to rescue them from the side of the road,
• There would be no place to take orphaned babies to be raised,
• There would be no one to fix a simple broken leg, wing, or eye infection,
• There would be no place to shelter and feed wildlife until they are well enough to be released.
Napa wildlife would NOT get a second chance.
What can you do?
Donate money. Donate time. Help us reach more people. If you have a special talent or area of expertise that might help, let us know.
So please, reach out if you need more information or have a great idea that will help sustain Napa Wildlife Rescue. Help us to keep doing the work that we do best.
With gratitude,
Carol Poole
President of the Board
https://napawildlife.app.neoncrm.com/forms/onlinegift
