NEWS RELEASE

 

For immediate release

November 6, 2008

 

 

Go Shopping in December and Help Save Wild Animals

 

West Sound Wildlife Shelter and The Wild Bird have teamed up to help save the lives of local wild animals.  During the month of December, The Wild Bird, a family-run and independently owned store in Poulsbo that specializes in supplies and gifts for bird watching and bird feeding, will donate 10% of all of its sales to the West Sound Wildlife Shelter.

Kol Medina, the Executive Director of the Shelter, sees this as a model partnership that will help the Shelter save injured wild animals.  “I’m a firm believer in partnerships between for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations,” said Medina.  “It’s a win-win for everyone involved.  The Shelter will receive a fantastic donation.  The Wild Bird will receive greater exposure.  And the public will have a chance to buy the goods they need while simultaneously helping wild animals.”

Scott Pomtier, the owner of The Wild Bird, feels likewise and is proud to be able to help the Shelter.  “I’ve met a few of the folks from the Shelter and have been impressed with the people as well as their mission.  I had been looking for a unique way to help when I recently visited the Shelter and learned about their need for additional medical equipment.”

The Shelter will use the money raised through this partnership to partially fund the purchase of an x-ray machine.  “We desperately need an x-ray machine,” Medina said.  “Currently, we have to take our patients that need x-rays to local veterinarian offices who donate their services.” 

Medina explained that transporting injured wild animals has a negative impact on their ability to recover from their injuries.  “Just imagine,” Medina said, “what it would be like to be a scared owl with a broken wing in our hospital.  You’re already quite anxious because you’re in a building instead of the forest.  Then suddenly you’re put in a crate and driven in a noisy, shaky car while in constant pain from your injury.  It would certainly freak me out and might just make me lose my will to live.”

Pomtier became familiar with the Shelter’s work a couple of years ago and quickly realized a partnership between his store and the Shelter would make perfect sense.  “The Wild Bird helps animal lovers to attract wildlife to their yards as well as provide some of the tools to observe them in their natural environment.  The Shelter offers care and rehabilitation for sick and injured animals along with many wildlife-related educational opportunities.  It just seemed natural for the two of us to work together.”

Pomtier and his wife Nancy Kaiser purchased The Wild Bird, located at 19740 7^th Avenue NE, Suite B in Poulsbo, in 2006.  Pomtier decided he wanted to make a break from a corporate job in Seattle and operate a business in the community where he lived.  Buying The Wild Bird was an easy decision and fitted in well with his lifelong love of the outdoors. 

Both Medina and Pomtier recognize that a partnership like this is even more important in the current economic climate.  Pomtier is worried about how the downturn is affecting his customers and Medina is worried about donations slowing down.  The hope is that the public will respond to this partnership by shopping at The Wild Bird in December, thereby increasing both sales and donations.

The x-ray machine that the Shelter wishes to purchase costs almost $20,000, but will be well worth the money.  “We’ll use that x-ray machine to provide better life-saving care to scores of injured wild animals each year,” added Medina.  “There is nowhere else in Kitsap County for injured eagles, deer, hawks, and other animals to receive care.  Our human society wouldn’t hesitate to spend $20,000 to help relieve the suffering of humans.  I don’t see why wild animals shouldn’t receive the same level of basic care and compassion.”

The Shelter is the only wildlife hospital and education center located in the entire Western Puget Sound and receives nearly all of its funding in the form of donations from individuals.  It expects to treat over 700 wild animal patients this year as well as give unique live-animal education programs to over 5,000 kids and adults.  You can find more information about the Shelter at www.westsoundwildlife.org and more information about The Wild Bird at www.thewildbird.net.

 

 

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