A wildlife baby shower at the Puget Sound WildcCare is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Puget Sound WildCare rehabilitation center opened in 2009 for mammal and reptile care and was federally permitted for migratory bird species in 2010. While the center hasn’t been open long, it has become the second most populated rehabilitation center in King and Pierce County. Animals all over are brought to the center, with many from Tacoma and Renton according to Director Dr. Jan White.

Being the second largest center means it is serving 2.7 million people, White said.

“Unfortunately, we are only budgeted $200,000 a year, everything else we need funding for comes from donations,” White said.

The center staff saw that other centers throw wildlife baby showers and decided they could do it too. The purpose of the wildlife baby shower is to show the community everything the center provides for wounded animals and to collect donations. Just like a baby shower, people are encouraged to bring gifts. The gifts are items the center needs but can’t always afford.

With the funding provided by donations, the center is able to work with Sawyer Lake Veterinary Hospital to provide care for the animals. The services they provide include radiographs, blood tests, surgeries, splints and many more treatments.

Animals spend an average of one to four weeks at the center until they are ready to be released back into the wild. Currently the center has a great blue heron that was brought in wounded on Feb. 10.

They took X-rays and saw it had a broken bone. The staff is treating the bird until it can fly and live on its own without assistance.

The center relies on donations, since it wasn’t expecting to become the second largest center in the area. Donations are always welcome, along with the baby shower items that are listed on its Facebook page and its website.

Items needed at Puget Sound WildCare

Food:​

• ProPlan Puppy Chow (Petco stocks this)

• ProPlan Kitten Chow (Petco stocks this)

• Proplan Kitten Canned Food—Chicken & Liver or Seafood flavors (Petco stocks this)

• Purina Game Chow-Grower Stage (Reber Ranch stocks this)

• Pigeon Chow B (Reber Ranch stock this food which has peas added)

• C& S Peanut Butter Suet Pellets (Johnson’s Do It Center at 4 Corners stocks this)

• Wild Bird Seed (Wild Birds Unlimited preferred)

• Finch Mix Seed (Wild Birds Unlimited preferred)

• Suet blocks (Wild Birds Unlimited please no cylinders)

• Laboratory animal blocks (Reber Ranch stocks this)

• Dandelions

​Sundries:​

• High efficiency laundry soap

• Dawn dishwashing soap

• Bleach for laundry

• Paper towels, lots of these

• Toilet paper

• Ziploc sandwich bags

• Forever postage stamps

• Printer paper

• Newspaper sheets (no ads or inserts) in moderate amounts

• Heating pads without an automatic turn-off