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The life of a fanatic is a hard one, and Joyce Smith's life is no exception. At 79, she's locked into a schedule that could kill someone half her age. She rises at 6 a.m after sleeping just a few hours, and immediately starts to work. There's no time for breakfast. When you live with more than 100 cats, their needs come first. (read more) or Download the PDF.

Ontario Wildlife in Crisis - Important Information to all Supporters of Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary

Take Action!
Ontario's wildlife need your help! In the summer of 2002 the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources imposed a 1 km release restriction for all wildlife in Ontario and disallowed rehabilitation of rabies vector species (raccoons, skunks, foxes) in a large part of eastern Ontario, including Ottawa. These restrictions have made it impossible to offer responsible wildlife rehabilitation in this province.

These restrictions have forced the closure of the Ottawa Carleton Wildlife Centre after the forceful seizure of its animals.

To read more about these issues, please go to http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/

The 2 raccoons had been permanent residents at Aspen Valley for many years. Both affected neurologically by distemper they would never be able to climb trees or run from danger fast enough in the wild. Their home was specifically designed with ramps and hollow logs to allow them the ability to get high and feel the comfort of trees that raccoons desire most of all. They had water basins to play and wash in that only raccoon cherish. Evergreen branches lined their enclosure for shade and the smell of nature to give them the feeling of the woods as best as we can. But their lives were taken.

The 2 Great Blue Herons were new to the Sanctuary. One I had rescued myself. A family coming to visit the Sanctuary in the summer had spotted him from the road. I waded deep into a marsh to retrieve him while the family waited eagerly to have him safe. Obviously hit by a car the wing was severely damaged. He was never to fly again. But he was healthy and ate vigorously. They are a beautiful bird that not many people can see up close. And now you won’t either as they too were killed by the MNR.

A car injured the beautiful Great Horned Owl. The fractures in the wing were extensive and the healing would be unpredictable as to whether he would fly again. The owl would have been given a home here at the Sanctuary for the length of his natural life but the MNR saw no purpose in his life and euthanized him.

Now we have a three-legged fox in question. Will his life by taken as well? He was caught and left to die in a cruel and painful leg-hold trap. He was a baby, maybe 3 months old when he was brought to the Sanctuary. The foot was dead. Our dedicated vets amputated the leg to save his life. For the past several months he has adapted to running around on three legs. He is bright, alert and sly! But now his life is in jeopardy again as the MNR wants to kill him. Science has proven that three-legged animals can survive in the wild and by watching this little fox leap and run and jump you would never know he was missing a limb.

Over the years many wonderful cats have been left at the Sanctuary by people no longer wanting them and we have found them permanent loving home or they would live here with us. At this time we have only 4, very affectionate healthy old barn cats. The MNR has given us an ultimatum to get rid of them or euthanize them by the beginning of the 2007, or, they will revoke our bird license. The 4 cats have their regular examinations plus all shots yearly and have never attempted to bother any of the birds we have had in our possession. Their lives are at stake now too.

What will happen we don’t know? A Sanctuary is a place of refuge, a place of shelter and protection. We give that to the creatures that need it desperately. Aspen Valley has the knowledge and experience of over 35 years of rehabilitating wildlife and birds and by giving a home to the souls that would not survive in the wild is an honour seeing that they have a life that they deserve. They are here because of human interference. It is the least we can do to give them a quality of life.

We need your help! Please write to the MNR and comment on their actions regarding the lives they euthanized and how you feel about the service Aspen Valley does for our wildlife.

Aspen Valley continues to need your support to care for and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife including a beautiful river otter from Manitoba. She was orphaned when her mother was hit and killed by a car. Because there are no Sanctuaries in the province of Manitoba we were given special permission for her to be brought to Aspen Valley. For her care and food it costs $100 a week to feed and house her. Worth every penny but a huge expense just the same. She is just one of the thousands we care for. The Sanctuary will still house wildlife that can’t be released, ones that have been pets or their physical condition prohibits them to survive on their own but it is the creatures that are not completely whole that are in question by the MNR. Aspen Valley is the only sanctuary in Ontario that has the experience, knowledge, the expertise, and the dedication for all wildlife and birds, from mice to moose, chickadees to eagles. It costs $200,000.00 a year to care for the creatures that need our assistance and 95% of them can be returned to the wild. It’s the ones that can’t that we need to help live a meaningful life.

Please support the mission of the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and all sanctuaries like Second Chance.

It is you that makes the difference.

Contact information:

MNR Head Office
Attention: Tamara Gomer
300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000
Peterborough, Ontario
K9J 8M5