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Statement From Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Local Wildlife Rescue Can No Longer Accept Animals

DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife has issued an administrative denial of renewal for the wildlife rehabilitation license issued in 2015 to Kendall Seifert of Squirrel Creek Wildlife Rescue in Littleton.

The denial for reissue as of March 16, 2016, was issued after Colorado Parks & Wildlife detected over 150 violations of state law. Mr. Seifert subsequently agreed to surrender possession of wildlife in his possession. All animals were evaluated and either transferred to a licensed rehabilitator, humanely euthanized, however most were released back into the wild.

"We in Colorado are fortunate to live in a state with a rich and diverse wildlife resource," said Eliza Hunholz, area wildlife manager for the Denver metro area. "Colorado Parks & Wildlife has regulatory and statutory authority over wildlife rehabilitation; as such Colorado Parks & Wildlife enacts and enforces laws with the primary goals of protecting public safety and protecting the wildlife resources of the state."

The public should note that this denial means the facility at Squirrel Creek in Littleton is not authorized to accept sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. Please do not take wildlife to Squirrel Creek Wildlife Rescue.

"Colorado Parks & Wildlife values the beneficent work that legal rehabilitators do--It benefits our community when people have the ability to render aid to wildlife in distress," added Hunholz. "Citizens can locate the list of licensed rehabilitators in Colorado on our website at
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/SpecialLicenses/WildlifeRehabilitation/PublicRehabListing.pdf#search=wildlife%20rehabilitators."
CPW urges people to consider the following issues when they discover wildlife in distress:

1. If the animal appears to be an orphan, WAIT before intervening. Often the mother is nearby. Unless you see the mother dead, LEAVE BABY WILDLIFE ALONE! If fox kits are in a window well, carefully lift them out and place them in a box near the window well. If a bird falls out of a tree, you can place it back in the nest; the parents may attend the baby bird on the ground. FIGHT THE URGE TO PICK THE BABY ANIMAL UP! Call your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office (Denver: 303-291-7227) or licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice on what to do next.

2. If you suspect an animal is sick (distemper, mange, etc) consider the risks to your own health and your pet's health before you intervene. Vaccinate your pets. Disease processes are natural processes. Consider letting nature take its course before you pick up sick wildlife.

3. Injured animal? If you see a wild animal injured (for example, you see it hit by a car) and you have the ability to render aid, please consider securing the animal in a box or kennel, contacting your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office (Denver: 303-291-7227) or consider taking it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in good standing with Colorado Parks & Wildlife.

4. If an animal is mortally wounded or sick and unlikely to recover Colorado Parks and Wildlife will accept these animals at our office at 6060 Broadway, Denver, and we will humanely euthanize the animal.

While it can be distressing to see wild animals that appear to be orphaned, sick or injured, often the best course of action is to let nature take its course. Please review our information on spring wildlife at:http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlifeSpring.aspx

If you would like to talk to a Customer Service Representative of CPW in the Denver metro area, please call 303-291-7227.

CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 42 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

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