Founded in 1993, Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) provides medical treatment and rehabilitative care to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals found by the public. TWC works in the Greater Toronto Area and has grown into Canada’s largest and busiest wildlife centre. TWC’s mission is to promote the peaceful coexistence of people and wildlife. The charity’s overall goal is to release healthy animals back into the wild. The charity’s five core programs are Wildlife Rehabilitation, Wildlife Rescue and Release, its Wildlife Hotline, its Wildlife Hospital, and Education & Outreach.

TWC’s Wildlife Rehabilitation program takes in approximately 5,000 sick, injured and orphaned animals, nurses them back to health, and releases them back into the wild. As of July 23, 2019, TWC has currently admitted 3,142 animals from 40 different species this year with 484 currently in care.

Through its Wildlife Rescue and Release program, TWC saves animals caught in dangerous situations. TWC has a team of 3 staff members certified in ice rescue, swift eater rescue, slope evaluation, and chemical immobilization, who rescue animals.

The charity’s Wildlife Hotline gives residents of the greater Toronto area a way to report animals in distress. TWC reports that there has been a rise in the number of animals harmed as a result of human actions caused by urban sprawl. Every year, TWC’s staff receive 30,000 calls.

TWC’s Wildlife Hospital diagnoses and treats injuries and illness in wild animals. TWC has a team of wildlife veterinarians as well as volunteer specialists who work in the hospital. TWC also provides students and graduates with placement and internship opportunities in the hospital.

Toronto Wildlife Centre’s Education & Outreach program promotes the peaceful co-existence of wildlife and humans as well as the humane response to wildlife through education and expert advice. This program provides people with resources on keeping animals safe, helping baby birds as well as helping other organizations learn how to respond to wildlife calls. Lastly, TWC holds classroom presentations to teach students about animals.

Toronto Wildlife Centre is a medium-sized charity with total donations and special events fundraising of $2.7m in F2018, along with $147k in donations in kind. Administrative costs are 6% of revenues and fundraising costs are 18% of cash donations and fundraising revenues. For every dollar donated to the charity, 77 cents go to its programs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. The charity has funding reserves of $476k. Reserves can cover program cost for 3 months.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Toronto Wildlife Centre. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 19, 2019 by Stefan Tetzlaff.