Passing the Torch
by Kevin Mack, PAWS Wildlife Naturalist

As an addendum to last week's installment of Wild Again, I would like to give you a quick update on recent events at the PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Prior to Kip Parker leaving PAWS, the organization embarked on an extensive national search for the next director. In early July, Jennifer Convy was named as the successful candidate. Jennifer has served PAWS for nearly 10 years, first as a wildlife rehabilitator, and most recently as the wildlife center's rehabilitation manager. Prior to her arrival at PAWS, Jennifer spent six years working at a wildlife rehabilitation facility near St. Louis, Missouri. Jennifer has integrated the best aspects of her wildlife experience in Missouri into our procedures here at PAWS. The net result has been much improved care for our wild patients. A case in point is the new raccoon pre-release caging that we recently acquired. Jennifer used these same, silo style cages at her center in Missouri, and recommended that we use them here.

PAWS Wildlife Director Jennifer Convy (left) and Wildlife Rehabilitator Corrie Hines anesthetize a coyote.

Like Kip before her, Jennifer is a leader in her field. Three years ago she and Kip served together on the founding board of the Washington Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (WWRA), and Jennifer remains active on that board to this day. She is also a current board member of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA), and actively educates others in the rehabilitation community by presenting at the NWRA's annual symposium. Jennifer is clearly dedicated to the field of wildlife rehabilitation, and we are confident that the wildlife rehabilitation center will continue to thrive under her strong leadership.

So, with a new leader at the helm, the PAWS wildlife staff continues to focus on bringing the highest quality of care to wild animals in need. We have many projects underway including the creation of more species-specific caging for our patients, and projects that will increase our capacity to help wild victims of human-created disasters such as oil spills. We also continue to expand our public education efforts in the hopes that, over time, fewer and fewer wild animals will be in need of our care.

As Jennifer has moved from her position as rehabilitation manager to fill her new role as director, we are also currently accepting applications to fill the vacant position. To find out more about the Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager opening, check out our website at www.paws.org. These are exciting times, and I will continue to bring you stories of our successes here in the pages of Wild Again.