Located in Youngsville, La, Acadiana Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation's mission is to treat injured and abandoned wildlife in Southern Louisiana. The facility homes more than 200 animals each year.
After the loss of a Lake Charles bird rehabber, as well as the closure of the Orleans Audubon Society Injured Wildlife Program, Letitia Labbie, who has ran Acadiana Wildlife since 1998, has seen the facility's intake grow exponentially and is in need of donations. The Humane Society of Louisiana is currently helping Labbie spread the word so they can receive the funding to continue rehabilitating wildlife in South Louisiana.
Labbie first started working with wildlife at the age of 10 and has since treated more than 6,000 birds and small mammals. She is licensed, overseen and permitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and is a member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association, and the International Association of Avian Trainers. Specializing in the rehabilitation of raptors and birds of prey such as hawks and vultures, Labbie is also permitted to rehabilitate all types of Louisiana wildlife including any small animal that comes her way to transport it to the proper rehabber.
Since Labbie cares for birds of prey who are permanently injured and are unable to be released back into the wild, they become a permanent fixture. The HSLA says the more donations she receives, the more cages she can have, and the more animals she can help.
“Acadiana Wildlife depends solely on donations for food, supplies, and construction and maintenance of cages and closures,” Labbie said. “Though we receive permits through LDWF, we receive zero funding from them. I think people would be surprised to learn that it costs $3,000 a month just to feed the animals, and my last large flight cage cost $10,000.”
Other than cages, items like rodent food and blocks, fresh produce, duck and chicken feed, good fencing, 2 ft.-by-4 ft. pieces of wood, and help transporting animals would provide Acadiana Wildlife with the support currently needed.
Labbie says for any person or business seeking to sponsor a cage for non-releasable birds, she would be more than happy to have a ribbon cutting ceremony with a plaque put on the cage.
The Humane Society of Louisiana says it will match the first $450 in monetary donations.
