Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured & orphaned wild animals as well as educating the public on how to co–exist with our wild neighbors.
ABOUT US
Wildlife Care of SoCal was founded in 1994 by a group of individuals who saw with increasing regularity that wild animals were becoming victims of urbanization and therefore the desperate need for experienced wildlife rehabilitators, to care for our native wildlife.
Most of us are aware that because of human activities animal species globally are disappearing at an ever accelerating rate. Each year in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties alone, thousands of wild animals are injured, orphaned or displaced largely because of human-created problems: Through the efforts of concerned and caring humans, many animals can be rehabilitated . Using specialized techniques and diets to facilitate their recoveries, we successfully release the majority of our patients back into nature.
We welcome you to join us.
Please help us continue to care for California Wildlife
Your tax deductible donations will go a long way to help us in our mission to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned wild animals.
Latest Facebook Posts
All these coyotes have recovered or are recovering from mange. 2 have been released; the rest will also be released when they are ready. 2 came from Santa Clarita, 1 from La Habra, 1 from Sylmar, and 1 from Agua Dulce. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW YOUR COMMUNITY TO USE RODENT POISON. You are the difference in your community. Use your voice! wildlifecareofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-Newsletter-.pdf
It takes one person or coyote to initiate change, but it takes a village to make it happen!
WENDY'S LAW has been accepted for hearing by the Commission. YOU CAN STILL SEND LETTERS until Sept. 30; pre-registration to speak via Zoom starts on Sept. 30 as well.CommissionersEric Sklar, PresidentSaint HelenaDarius Anderson, Vice President, KenwoodJacque Hostler-Carmesin, Member McKinleyvilleSamantha Murray, MemberLa JollaErika Zavaleta, Member Santa CruzSTATE OF CALIFORNIA Gavin Newsom, GovernorFish and Game CommissionWildlife Heritage and Conservation Since 1870Meeting Agenda October 13-16, 2026Melissa A. Miller-Henson, Executive Director, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090, (916) 653-4899, fgc@fgc.ca.gov California Natural Resources Headquarters Building, 715 P Street, AuditoriumSacramento, CA 95814• October 13 will focus on wildlife, inland fisheries, and administrative items.• October 14 will focus on marine and administrative items, and marine protected area(MPA) petitions 2023-14, 2023-23, and 2023-33.• October 15 will focus on MPA petitions 2023-21, 2023-19, 2023-20, 2023-34, 2023-28, 2023-29, 2022-04, and 2023-18 (Vandenberg and Kashtayit).• October 16 will focus on MPA petitions 2023-27, 2023-18 (San Miguel and Anacapa special closures), 2023-15, 2023-16, 2023-32, and 2023-24.Join us in person in Sacramento to provide public comment or observe the meeting.Options for Remote Public Comment via Zoom or PhoneTo join the meeting remotely via Zoom (video and audio, click directly on the meeting link at us02web.zoom.us/j/81694577331. For detailed instructions on joining by phone or Zoom, click here or visit the Commission meetings webpage at fgc.ca.gov/meetings; for instructions on joining by phone (audio only), refer to Option 3.The Commission will make a reasonable effort to provide the public additional opportunities to observe or provide comment in the meeting through the Zoom webinar platform by computer, mobile device, or telephone connection. However, the Commission cannot guarantee the accessibility or functionality of the remote connection options. Should technical issues affect remote attendee access or webinar quality, an attempt will be made to resolve them; however, the meeting will continue with in-person attendees.Option for Remote Observation Without Public CommentTo watch or listen only on the day of the meeting, visit www.fgc.ca.gov (link is on the right side of the page). The Commission will make a reasonable effort to live-stream the meeting so the public can observe from a remote location without providing comments. However, the Commission cannot guarantee the accessibility or functionality of the webcast.Re: Petition for regulation change (Tracking Number 2026-19) Dear Anna Reams:Thank you for submitting your petition for regulation change to the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission). We assigned your petition tracking number 2026-19.Commission staff reviewed your petition for completeness under Section 662(b), Title 14, California Code of Regulations, and accepted it as complete.The Commission will receive your petition at its October 13-16, 2026 meeting. The Commission will schedule action on your request (to deny or grant for further consideration in a future rulemaking) for its December 15-16, 2026 meeting. While it is not necessary, you are welcome to attend either meeting and provide comment. Meeting agendas and other details, including instructions on how to watch or participate in the meeting, are available on the Commission's website at www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2026. Meeting materials are posted to the website a few days before the meeting.If you have any questions about your petition, please feel free to contact Commission staff or me at (916) 653-4899 or fgc@fgc.ca.gov, and please reference your tracking number. Sincerely,H. David ThesellDeputy Executive Director
Mange. It's even hard for us to believe these are the same two pups. They came in on July 22, and this little video of them was taken on Sept. 16, about 2 months later.
HELP MAKE “WENDY’S LAW “ A REALITYWildlife Care of Southern California has submitted a formal petition to the California Fish and Game Commission requesting a change to California’s wildlife rehabilitation regulations. The petition requests amendments to Title 14, sections 679.2 and 679.3. The petition asks the commission to establish a carefully regulated process allowing qualified wildlife rehabilitation permit holders - with appropriate training, equipment, and veterinary support- to use humane live-capture equipment for specifically identified injured or diseased wildlife. We are calling this campaign “Wendy's Law” in her honor. It is not yet an enacted law or regulation. It is our effort to ensure that the next injured wild animal - and the next concerned community - has a lawful path to qualified help. WE NOW NEED THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE ITS VOICE HEARD.Please e-mail your letter to:California Fish and Game Commission fgc@fgc.ca.govComments on proposed regulations: fgc@fgc.ca.gov (include the subject of the regulations in the email subject line) Subject line: Humane live trapping of injured or diseased wildlife by qualified rehabilitation permittees.Please reference:PETITION Submitted September 14, 2026, by Wildlife Care of Southern CaliforniaProposed amendments to Title 14, sections 679.2 and 679.3Please explain why this change matters to you, what you witnessed during Wendy's year in Studio City, or how her story affected you - and why qualified rehabilitators should be provided a lawful means to intervene before an animal's condition becomes irreversible. Wendy cannot be brought back, but her experience can create meaningful change for California’s wildlife. Together we can make sure she did not suffer and die in vain.Wildlife Care of Southern California had the experience, equipment, veterinary support, and rehabilitation facility necessary to care for Wendy.However, as a state-permitted wildlife rehabilitation organization, we are legally bound by our permit conditions.Under California’s current regulations, wildlife rehabilitation facilities are not authorized to use humane live traps to bring in injured or diseased wildlife into our care. This is a statewide problem, not one limited to Wendy or Studio City. When an injured animal remains mobile, no qualified public agency is available or equipped to capture it. The result is a dangerous gap: The rehabilitators prepared to treat the animal are not authorized to trap it, while no authorized agency is available to bring it to them.When Wendy finally came into our care, her veterinary examination revealed that over time the infection had caused catastrophic and irreversible destruction of her jaw, sinuses, and the delicate bones behind them that protect the brain and the eyes; there was also damage present in her left ear and surrounding structures.For approximately one year, the Studio City community watched over Wendy, provided her with food and water, and repeatedly reached out for help. Their compassion sustained her, and their determination brought attention to a serious problem in California’s regulations.Petition Submitted "SECTION I: Required Information.Please be succinct. Responses for Section I should not exceed five pages1. Person or organization requesting the change (Required)Name of primary contact person: Anna Reams, Wildlife Care of Southern California. Address: Telephone number: Email address: annareams@gmail.com2. Rulemaking Authority (Required) - Reference to the statutory or constitutional authority of the Commission to take the action requested: The California Fish and Game Commission has the authority to adopt and amend regulations governing the taking, capture, possession, transportation, and rehabilitation of wildlife pursuant to California Fish and Game Code sections 200, 1050, 2000, 2120, 2121, 2150.4, 3005.5, 3800.4150, and 4180. This petition specifically requests amendment of sections 679.2 and 679.3 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations to authorize qualified wildlife rehabilitation permittees, subject to Department-approved training, permit conditions, and humane capture requirements, to capture injured ,diseased, or debilitated wildlife for rehabilitation.3. Overview (Required) - Summarize the proposed changes to regulations: Amend Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations to establish a clear permitting process authorizing qualified rehabilitation permittees to humanely capture injured, diseased, or debilitated wildlife for transport to an authorized rehabilitation facility. Authorization would be limited to permittees with appropriate species-specific experience, approved training, suitable equipment, and compliance with Department-established reporting, safety, and animal-welfare requirements. The amendment should also allow the Department to provide case-specific authorization when necessary.4. Rationale (Required) - Describe the problem and the reason for the proposed change: Current regulations do not provide a clear, consistent process for qualified wildlife rehabilitation permittees to capture injured, diseased, or debilitated wildlife in the field. This regulatory gap can cause dangerous delays while an animal's condition worsens, even when an experienced rehabilitator has the equipment, training, support, and facility necessary to provide care. This is also a significant public-safety concern. Injured or severely ill wildlife may behave unpredictably, enter residential areas, approach feeding locations, encounter children or domestic animals, create traffic hazards, or expose members of the public to bites, scratches, or zoonotic disease. When no qualified agency response is available, concerned residents may attempt to capture or assist the animal themselves, placing both people and animal at greater risk. Intervention by trained and authorized rehabilitators would reduce these dangers. Wendy, an injured Studio City coyote whose severe facial condition was known to the community for about 1 year, demonstrated the need for this change; during that time, the community sustained her by setting up feeding and water stations. Wildlife Care of Southern California had the experience and the resources to help but understood that our rehabilitation permit did not authorize capture. Despite repeated community efforts to obtain assistance, no timely and workable agency response was provided. By the time Wendy was finally captured through other lawful assistance, infection had destroyed much of her jaw, and humane euthanasia was necessary. Earlier intervention might have produced a different outcome, at minimum preventing prolonged suffering and reducing the risks created by having a severely compromised coyote living in a community and visiting backyards daily for food.Wildlife rehabilitators routinely assess, handle, stabilize, transport, and treat injured wildlife and often possess qualifications equal to or greater than those required for commercial costly wildlife trapping. Establishing a controlled authorization process- with species-specific qualifications, humane-capture standards, reporting requirements, veterinary oversight, and Department supervision-would protect animal welfare and public safety while ensuring that injured wildlife can receive timely care."
