OGDEN, Utah — It was moving day for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, months after it received an eviction notice from Ogden city so its building could be demolished to expand the Dinosaur Park next door.
The center has been temporarily closed since last summer and officials have been trying to find other homes for the animals in their care. However, during the same time, no new animals have been accepted.
“Every day that we are closed, there’s animals that are not getting the help they need and there’s people finding those animals that are not getting the help they need,” said DaLyn Marthaler, Executive Director of the center.
So using vans instead of a giant ark, the animals are moving to a new home at Washington Boulevard and Third Street in Ogden.
After spending weeks remodeling the new location with flooring and paint, and making it conducive to quarantines and caring for animals, the center was on the move Tuesday.
“We’ve got Two Men and A Truck and they’re saving our lives by helping us get all these things out of our building,” said Marthaler.
The moving company volunteered their time to help with cages, equipment, appliances, and office supplies. The plan is to get the new facility up and running so that animals can be moved in about a week, and hopefully start accepting new animals, possibly in the next month.
“With spring coming, we normally take in about 20-30 animals per day…” explained Marthaler. “All you can do to focus on those animals and nothing else.
“So we’ve got make sure that we are set up and ready to go before we start accepting those animals.”
The new location does have its downsides as it’s smaller and can only house about a third of the animals usually cared for, and like the one building, the new one was not built to care for animals.
“It’s been amazing being able to hose down the floors and pressure wash and have drains everywhere. Its been an amazing building. We’re grateful for the time we did have in it,” said Marthaler.
The center also can’t take in any new aquatic animals, which includes ducks, pelicans, and beavers.
But those who operate the center are thankful for the community support during the rollercoaster year. From those who have helped on weekends getting the new place up and running, to local companies donating supplies and services.
“Financially, emotionally, giving money physically, everything, just all that support coming together in any way they could,” Marthaler said. “We’re making it happen.”
The new facility will also be temporary until the center can purchase land and build a new home that will help them serve as many animals as possible.