Petaluma Rescue Group Getting Hospital for Birds of Prey

Furry creatures don't like living with feathered creatures, and now a Petaluma animal rescue group won't have to house recovering birds of prey with other critters.

Petaluma-based Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue will this week open a new hospital for hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, turkey vultures and more.

"The new facility can accommodate nestlings, fledglings and adults," the group said in a press release. "A portion of the building is specially designed for birds in their intermediate recovery period and boasts a one-hundred foot flight hallway in which birds can be conditioned and staff can evaluate an individual bird’s flight."

The group sees 1,800 animals each year, and its current hospital can only hold 20 at a time, volunteer spokeswoman Francesca Smith said.

"The problem was we were housing the furry critters with the feathered critters, and that stresses out both of them," Smith said.

The new hospital, located at the Mecham Road property the organization leases from the county, will hold about 20 birds at a time, she said. The grand opening event Wednesday is not open to the public, but the group offers public tours on Saturdays.

The Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue is a nonprofit organization funded entirely by donations, Smith said. More information about the group is available at http://www.scwildliferescue.org/.

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