Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue

10/07/2026

You’re invited to meet our future.

For decades, the generosity and support of our community have helped make Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue what it is today. As we look ahead, we want to share more about the people, plans, and relationships that will help carry this work forward.

On Thursday, November 12, we’re opening our doors for a special, small-group gathering for our supporters. Guests will have the opportunity to tour our campus, learn more about our work, meet members of our team, and share a relaxed lunch and conversation with others who care deeply about wildlife and our community.

This first gathering is intentionally limited to a small group so we have plenty of time to connect. If it fills, we hope you’ll join us for a future gathering. We plan to host these special events seasonally if this first one is successful.

Although we always welcome donations, this is not meant to be a fundraising event, but a special time to connect together. It’s our way of saying thank you and inviting you to be part of what comes next.

Read the full invitation and find RSVP information here: https://conta.cc/4jBm1EG

09/25/2026

The Path of Puma-36 follows the remarkable 1,500-mile journey of P-36, a young mountain lion navigating Northern California’s forests, farmland, highways, and communities.

We want to recognize the talented team behind this project for bringing greater visibility to the challenges mountain lions face and helping audiences better understand the importance of coexistence.

This documentary highlights the important conservation work of our partners at True Wild Conservation and Dr. Quinton Martins, including his work with the Living with Lions Project in collaboration with All Hands Ecology. Their research helps us better understand mountain lion movement, behavior, and the challenges these animals face in an increasingly developed landscape.

Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue is honored to be part of this film and to contribute to a story that encourages greater awareness and understanding of these remarkable animals.

P-36’s journey reminds us that wildlife doesn’t recognize the boundaries we create between wild and developed spaces. Protecting these animals means understanding the landscapes they move through and finding ways to coexist alongside them.

Watch The Path of Puma-36, recently released on Wild Commons:
https://www.wildcommons.media/films/path-of-puma-36-mountain-lion-documentary

09/19/2026

🍂 HELP OUR BEAR CUBS PREPARE FOR WINTER!

What does hyperphagia look like for a growing black bear? Watch this 45-hour timelapse of five of our older bear cubs foraging in the Apex Predator Enclosure and see their natural instincts in action.

As fall approaches, bears naturally increase their food intake and spend more time foraging to prepare for winter. Our cubs are no different. This is an important time for them to practice natural behaviors as they grow toward a future in the wild.

Across our campus, we provide more than 2,000 pounds of food each week for the wildlife patients in our care, making your support especially meaningful this time of year.

Here’s how you can help:
🌰 Gather acorns for our bear cubs
🌽 Donate food for wildlife patients in care

See our full list of needed foods, acorn collection guidelines, and donation information here: https://conta.cc/4xKI67u

Thank you for helping us support our patients as they learn, grow, and prepare for a future in the wild.

09/04/2026

A Community Comes Together:
Celebrating the Grand Opening of the Apex Predator Enclosure and 20 Years at Our Petaluma Campus

When we celebrated the grand opening of our Petaluma campus in 2006, we could only dream of the future we had in store for us. Now, 20 years later, reflecting on all that we have accomplished together over the last two decades, we have so much to be grateful for and still so much to look forward to.

This historic weekend began on Friday with the ribbon cutting for the Grand Opening of the Apex Predator Enclosure, a moment that truly reflected that sentiment. In an intimate ceremony, we were joined by many of the people who have played significant roles in helping us reach these two major milestones, from new and longtime donors, to representatives of key county and state agencies, and partners who have supported each other along the way.

Throughout this weekend of celebration, we reflected on the incredible amount of work we have accomplished together: six years of building the Apex Predator Enclosure and 20 years of creating and growing our Petaluma campus. This decades-long journey has been a constant effort to build not only a place where we can tend to the needs of the thousands of wildlife patients who come through our doors, but a place where their lives can be enriched and the care we provide can be specialized to each individual.

For us, this mission winds along a path that continually intersects with others who share our values and compassion for the natural world that connects us all. It is through these points of collaboration that our work continues to flourish, reminding us what is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose and a deep commitment to protecting the wild.

Thank you for celebrating this beautiful journey with us and for helping build a future where our wildlife and their caregivers can thrive.

Much love,

Doris Duncan
Executive Director

08/19/2026

🐾 Baby season is entering its final stretch, but our work is far from over.

While the number of new arrivals will soon begin to slow, many of the young animals currently in our care still have weeks or even months of rehabilitation ahead. They will continue to need daily feedings, cleaning, and medical care until they are ready to return to the wild.

🥚 One of our biggest food needs right now is hard-boiled eggs.

Many of our growing patients are transitioning from formula to solid foods, and we go through an incredible number of eggs every day. Hard-boiled eggs provide essential nutrition for many young animals in our care, and donating them already prepared saves our staff and volunteers valuable time that can instead be spent caring for wildlife.

If you’d like to donate hard-boiled eggs, please make sure they are:
• Hard-boiled
• Unpeeled
• Clearly labeled with the date they were boiled

We also regularly use the following foods for our patients:

🐟 Whole fish (not gutted, if possible)
🌰 Whole or shelled walnuts and acorns
🍐 Pears
🍌 Bananas
🍇 Grapes
🥑 Avocados
🥕 Carrots
🌽 Corn
🍈 Cantaloupe
🍉 Watermelon
🫛 Green beans
🥒 Cucumbers

A note about apples 🍎: We receive a wonderful amount of homegrown apple donations from our community, so we generally do not need supporters to purchase apples for us. If you have homegrown apples you'd like to donate, please call us first at (707)992-0274 to check whether we currently have a need.

Please make sure all produce is ripe, but not overripe or spoiled.

📍 Donation Drop-Off: 403 Mecham Road, Petaluma, CA 94952
🕘 7 days a week, 9 AM–5 PM
📦 A donation station is available on our front porch for easy drop-off.

As baby season winds down, your donation of hard-boiled eggs is a simple way to help keep the animals in our care nourished as they grow, heal, and prepare to return to the wild. ❤

07/30/2026

Three Western Screech Owls found themselves in a bit of a tight spot earlier this month.

Our Wildlife Hotline received a call from a concerned resident in Sonoma who had discovered three owls inside an uncapped PVC pipe. Before making any recommendations, our hotline team asked for photos to better understand the situation. Because Western Screech Owls are cavity nesters, we wanted to determine whether this might actually be a nesting site.

The photos, along with the finder's note that the PVC pipe had only been uncapped a couple of days earlier, told the story. Inside were two juvenile owls and one adult. It was clear they had become trapped and were unable to climb or fly back out on their own.

At this stage of their lives, juvenile screech owls are just beginning to learn how to fly and hunt alongside their parents. The finder also spotted another juvenile perched on a nearby fire alarm, a reminder that the rest of the owl family was still close by.

To make sure everyone was healthy and flight-ready, we asked the finder to safely transport the owls to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue for a wellness evaluation. We're happy to report that all three owls passed their exams with flying colors.

Once cleared, a member of our team returned the three owls to the exact location where they were found that evening, giving them the best opportunity to reunite with the nearby juvenile and the other parent.

We'll never know what led this owl family into the PVC pipe, but we're incredibly grateful the finder noticed them and took the time to call. Because they did, this owl family got a second chance to continue their wild journey together.

If you ever find wildlife in an unusual situation, give our Wildlife Hotline a call so that we can help you better assess the next steps.

📞 Wildlife Hotline: (707) 526-9453

🦉 Bonus Owl Challenge!
Can you tell which two owls are the juveniles? Western Screech Owls can be surprisingly difficult to age, especially once the young have fledged. Take a close look at the photos and leave your guess in the comments!

07/29/2026

Dear Supporters,

Every summer, our interns donate hundreds of hours caring for orphaned and injured wildlife. They feed hungry babies, administer medications, assist with rescues, prepare diets, and tackle endless (and we mean truly endless) cleaning. Not because they’re paid to, but because they're passionate about protecting our wild neighbors and making a difference. Many are studying wildlife biology, veterinary medicine, conservation, and environmental science, and they represent the next generation of wildlife professionals.

Now in its second year, the Spring Canyon Neonatal Care Center had interns spend a month living onsite and providing around the clock care for orphaned baby wildlife. This remarkable program is only possible because of the generous donation of the Spring Canyon property by the Ubben family. Their extraordinary gift has created a peaceful, dedicated space where our tiniest patients receive the specialized care they need while future wildlife professionals gain invaluable hands on experience.

Although we wish we could compensate every intern for their tireless work, as a non-profit every dollar we receive goes toward the care of the animals in our care. Instead, we're hoping our incredible community can help us say thank you.

A gift card of any amount can make a real difference to an intern spending long days caring for wildlife. Whether it's for groceries, gas, or coffee, your generosity reminds them that their hard work is seen and appreciated.

If you'd like to help, you can donate a gift card or make a monetary donation using the link below, and we'll purchase gift cards for our interns.

Donate online here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=8RWVTZXAFR8TL

Gift cards can be dropped off at:
Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
403 Mecham Rd.
Petaluma, CA 94952

Or mailed to:
Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
RE: Summer Interns
P.O. Box 448
Cotati, CA 94931

From all of us, thank you for helping us recognize their compassion, hard work, and commitment to wildlife. Your kindness means more than you know.

Sincerely,
Doris Duncan

07/24/2026

Supporting natural behaviors through enrichment is an essential part of wildlife rehabilitation, encouraging wildlife to express the behaviors they'll need after release.

For this American black bear cub, a tall manzanita branch provides more than just a climbing structure. It helps develop the strength, coordination, and climbing skills needed in the wild. The addition of the broom end encourages rubbing and scratching, grooming behaviors commonly observed in black bears.

Every piece of enrichment is thoughtfully designed to help our patients remain wild while preparing for a successful return to their natural habitat.

And if you've ever had an itch you just couldn't reach, you can probably appreciate this moment.

07/11/2026

🎉 You're Invited! 🐻

Join us as we celebrate two incredible milestones in Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue's history: the Grand Opening of our Apex Predator Enclosure and 20 years at our Petaluma campus.

Come tour our campus, learn about our work, meet members of our team, and celebrate this exciting new chapter with us. We would love to share this special day with the community that has helped make it all possible.

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

RSVP is required: https://forms.gle/RosZxvRcH2RhiUk27

We look forward to celebrating with you!

06/23/2026