Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 26, 1993 TAG: 9302260260
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
WILDLIFE CENTER REOPENS
The New River Wildlife Center announced Thursday it is once again accepting wild animals for rehabilitation. The center will function as a network of volunteers rather than operating out of a specific site.The last center, located in downtown Blacksburg, was closed in December after it violated a town ordinance governing wild animals being kept in a residential section.
The big news is that Rose Norris, founder of the center, has returned.
Norris resigned in April 1991 because she felt she was not supported by the center's board of directors. After she left, she was asked not to return. Since then, Jackie Collins, a volunteer at the center, became the primary rehabilitator.
"Jackie and I just started talking and working things out," Norris said. "Jackie and I work real well together, and everyone else who was on the board [of directors] is no longer there."
The new board has five members: Norris and Collins, who will serve as primary wild-animal rehabilitators; Dr. Vanessa Rolfe, an exotic-pet veterinarian; Amy Gathman; and Chris Bach, formerly of the Humane Society of Montgomery County.
The center will operate as a network in which volunteers will be trained to rehabilitate animals from the beginning of the healing process until the animal is released.
Having a designated facility in which to care for the animals is impossible, said Norris.
"I've always believed in a center, but the economics just doesn't work," she said. "I don't know if it ever will, because we don't have the funding."
"We want the public to know we are open and accepting animals, but there is no centralized facility," Collins said. "We want to have a system where we will offer training to teach people to take care of injured wildlife - people who have the interest to do this in their homes."
Norris said she and Collins hope to start teaching rehabilitation classes by late March or early April.
The center will be based at Collins' Progress Street home, but for communications purposes only. It will rely on its networking efforts to care for injured or orphaned animals; no additional animals will be taken at Collins' home.
For further information on the center or to inquire about volunteer work, call 953-1645.
Memo: Correction ***CORRECTION***