Committee okays Probst bill for wildlife rehab center grants
Pike County. Many wildlife rehabilitators have limited resources, requiring outside support.
Milford /
| 10 Oct 2023 | 01:45
Lizzie the bald eagle, cared for by the Delaware Valley Raptor Center in Milford.
The state House Game and Fisheries Committee recently announced a bill sponsored by State Rep. Tarah Probst (D-189) that would allow the state to help fund wildlife rehabilitation centers.
“Pennsylvania is home to a wide variety of wildlife, and unlike their domesticated counterparts, wild animals do not have access to traditional veterinary care,” Probst said in a press release. “Wildlife rehabilitators are essential in treating and temporarily caring for injured, diseased, and displaced wildlife. These individuals also provide essential education in order to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and promote stewardship of wildlife.”
Because most wildlife rehabilitators operate from independent home-based facilities, Probst said they do not receive state or federal funding and primarily rely on donations from individuals or other entities to fund rehabilitation efforts.
“To provide support for these essential facilities, my legislation would establish the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program to provide wildlife rehabilitators with the opportunity to apply for a grant based on the number of wild animals under their care,” she said. “Under this program, wildlife rehabilitators could use grant funding to cover the costs associated with the recovery and rehabilitation of injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife, and the improvement of rehabilitation facilities.”
The Pennsylvania Game Commission would determine the amount of each grant based on the number of wildlife the rehabilitator took in from the previous fiscal year. Grant amounts would be between $2,500 and $75,000.
The program would be funded by an appropriation in the annual state budget.
The legislation (H.B. 1522) heads to the full House of Representatives for consideration.