| 15 July 2010
How is LAWRA affiliated with my local Wildlife Rehabilitator and facility?
Since 1997, The Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (LAWRA) has existed providing resources and assistance to Wildlife Rehabilitators in Louisiana. Our services are directly responsible for increasing the availability and training of Louisiana's Wildlife Rehabilitators.
From Shreveport to New Orleans, LAWRA serves local Wildlife Rehabilitators and their centers by providing:
- Standards, guidelines and recommendations for Wildlife care and operations, as well as our Wildlife Rehabilitation Consultation (WRC) service, which provides in-depth information and recommendations to new LAWRA member-rehabilitators and their facilities.
- Training programs in Basic and Advanced Wildlife Rehabilitation skills, including our new online training university.
- A quarterly newsletter and comprehensive website which has rapidly become the most comprehensive resource for Louisiana's residents in locating their Wildlife Rehabilitator.
- Outreach through LAWRAOnline.com to help citizens find, understand and support their local Wildlife Rehabilitators and their facilities, plus classroom support for wildlife education programs.
- A cooperative buying service to provide discounts to rehabilitators on a wide variety of products and services.
- Wildlife disaster assistance, including leadership in the collection and care of wild animals during crises. During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita LAWRA was able to account for 90% of our member and non-member rehabilitators and their associated facilities, and assisted several facilities in the evacuation and relocation of their shelter animals across the state. LAWRA was also able to give unrestricted grants to rehabilitators statewide following the Hurricanes, supplementing their recovery from the disasters.
- Wildlife financial assistance in the form of scholarships, periodic grants and other opportunities.
- Statewide Wildlife Advocacy responsible for improving the health, ensuring the welfare, and safeguarding the future of Louisiana's wildlife.
Local Wildlife Rehabilitators and their facilities remain independent entities, each with its own policies, governance, and priorities. In the 1990s, our founding Wildlife Rehabilitators recognized that Wildlife Rehabilitation professionals were consumed with the day-to-day tasks of wild animal care and control. No organization gave a statewide voice and muscle in the wildlife welfare community. The founding mission of the Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association was to support the work of Wildlife Rehabilitators; providing resources and assistance to ensure the health, welfare and future of Louisiana's Wildlife Rehabilitation community.
What does the Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association do?
The Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association is Louisiana's second-largest wildlife conservation group, comprised of of wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians, conservationists, and other citizens and professionals from around Louisiana, all committed to restoring the health, ensuring the welfare, and safeguarding the future of Louisiana's wildlife. LAWRA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to providing resources and assistance to Louisiana's Wildlife Rehabilitators.
Wildlife Rehabilitators are at the forefront of the Wildlife Conservation movement. Our efforts to save endangered and threatened species through injured and orphaned wildlife rehabilitation programs directly assist state and federal agencies, as well as conservation and environmental organizations, in that species' continued survival. Wildlife rehabilitation provides unique insights into issues affecting wildlife populations, species and habitats, and contributes to wildlife conservation and protection worldwide.
LAWRA's Role
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LAWRA is an educational resource for our members. We provide customized, detailed educational classes from leaders in the rehabilitation and wildlife veterinarian community to foster the education of wildlife rehabilitators statewide.
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LAWRA promotes recognition of Wildlife Rehabilitation. We promote efforts to officially recognize Louisiana rehabilitators and their conservation efforts.
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LAWRA is an educational body. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, LAWRA attends educational events across the state to educate the public about conservation and the role Wildlife Rehabilitation plays.
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LAWRA educates our members. We disseminate recognized ethical, scientific, and professional standards for animal care, their facilities, professional conduct and demeanor, public education, and conservation action.
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LAWRA represents our members. We have a liason with regulatory agencies controlling Wildlife Rehabilitators and actively participate in the legislative process affecting our members to the full extent of the tax laws. LAWRA participates, as appropriate, in the support of positions and policies that advance the conservation and protection of wildlife and habitat. We also foster the enhancement of wildlife rehabilitators as conservation partners whenever possible.
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LAWRA recruits new Rehabilitators. We are actively working to foster and support new rehabilitators in Louisiana through our education and outreach efforts.
- LAWRA promotes "co-existing" with wildlife. We educate our members and the public about effective ways to coexist with wildlife, prevent potential conflicts, and appreciate the role of wildlife in our changing environment.
- LAWRA protects wildlife. Recently the Board has taken a pro-wildlife stance on issues and problems affecting wildlife in the state as well as our wildlife rehabilitators. We actively seek out inhumane wildlife actions and take a pro-active response to ensure the safety and well-being of the wildlife in question.
LAWRA is actively partnered with many conservation groups both in and out of state. While LAWRA may be linked to these groups in many ways, we do not always support their opinions on specific issues.
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America's Wetland. LAWRA is a "cooperating organization" of the program & incorporates their materials in our educational efforts statewide.
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Elmer's Island. The Louisiana Wildlife Federation campaign to have the state purchase Elmer's Island is widely supported by the organization. LAWRA recently passed a resolution in support of keeping the land "wild" and available to the public for limited recreational use.
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American Bird Conservancy. LAWRA supports the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) "Cats Indoors" program and has incorporated it into our educational outreach efforts.
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Rabbit.org. LAWRA campaigns regularly using Rabbit.org material during Easter to educate the public about easter rabbit sales & the responsibility of owning an "easter" rabbit.
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National and International Organizations. We have developed liasons with the national and international groups representing the interests of wildlife rehabilitators and our Louisiana wildlife.