At Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, every rescue tells a story of resilience and second chances for Manitoba’s wildlife. We spoke with Kelly O’Donnell, Communications & Engagement Coordinator, about the centre’s life-saving work, its growing connection with the community, and how education, care, and compassion help injured animals return to the wild.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre rescues and rehabilitates injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife, with the goal of returning them safely to the wild. As the Communications & Engagement Coordinator, my role is to connect the incredible work happening here with the community, sharing stories, updates, and ways people can get involved.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Wildlife Haven helps animals that are hurt or suffering, most often due to human-caused injuries. In fact, 98% of the wildlife arriving at our hospital are injured in ways we can help treat. Our work helps give these animals a second chance at life.
When did you start/join it?
September 2022
What made you want to get involved?
I’ve always loved animals and creating content, and this role combines both passions for a meaningful cause. There’s nothing like seeing an animal arrive at the hospital in a hopeless situation, watching it recover through care and treatment, and eventually fly back into the wild or run back into the forest strong and healthy.
What was the situation like when you started?
When I started, the organization was already doing incredible work, but there were opportunities to expand our communications, share more stories with the public, and connect the community more deeply to our mission.
How has it changed since?
Since joining, we’ve been able to amplify our reach, share more stories of our patients, and engage the community in ways that directly support wildlife care. Our online presence has grown, allowing people to see the impact of their donations and volunteer efforts. Every year, we learn more about the patients in our care and discover new strategies for successful rehabilitation and release. Additionally, our team has expanded, and we’re fortunate to have an amazing animal hospital team providing exceptional care every day.
What more needs to be done?
We’re always looking for ways to improve the care we provide. One of our ongoing goals is to expand and upgrade our enclosures to give animals more space and comfort during their rehabilitation. Beyond that, we aim to continue growing our educational programs, increasing community awareness about coexisting with wildlife, and recruiting more volunteers to support the day-to-day care and operations of the centre. Every small improvement helps give wildlife a better chance at a second life in the wild.
How can our readers help?
There are many ways to get involved:
- Education: Learn about wildlife and the importance of coexisting with the animals that share our towns and cities.
- Donate: We are a registered non-profit that relies on community support to protect Manitoba’s wildlife. We always have a lot of wildlife patients in care needing help, including a lynx, otters a pelican and many more right now. Every contribution makes a difference!
- Follow us on social media: Stay updated on our current patients and their journeys from rescue to release.
- Volunteer: We always need and welcome volunteers. Opportunities include preparing food for patients, doing laundry and cleaning, maintaining enclosures, assisting with property upkeep, or photographing events.
Do you have any events coming up?
Art for Wildlife Online Auction: February 13–22nd, 2026. Incredible artists donate pieces, the community gets to bid, and all proceeds go directly to caring for wildlife in our hospital.
Annual Baby Shower (Spring): We invite the community to bring supplies for our influx of baby wildlife patients. Items needed include enrichment toys, crates, blankets, fishing nets, gloves, and PPE, as some examples.
Open House: Every fall, we host an Open House on our campus so folks can get a behind-the-scenes look at our animal hospital.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
There are so many amazing local charities that help animals and wildlife! A few that come to mind are Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue, Winnipeg Humane Society and Black Bear Rescue Manitoba.
