California Wildlife Center Calabasas, California

Today we found what we think was an injured hummingbird, a female adult, and she was sitting on our feeder, would not move, but looked very lethargic and dazed. We had some wonderful people help us from the Ventura County hummingbird rescue, they directed us over to the California wildlife center, and they were excellent at taking care of our little buddy that we found. They told us they would give us updates on how our little sweetheart is doing, and hopefully we will get to see when they release our little buddy back into the wildlife. They are all great people there at the center, and we greatly thank them for everything!

They are heroes. I have taken many animals there over the years and they are super professional. My brother is taking a rabbit there right now that was injured. As far as I know, they don't turn any wild animals away.

A lovely woman came out immediately to assist us with an injured mourning dove that was cat caught in front of my house by my own darn cat. I informed them the dove was bit by a cat so they could do something about the infection. I handed her the dove in the box and she took it inside to their center. In the meantime while waiting for them to get my information, we saw some really cute ducklings in a little enclosure. She quickly returned the box with the towels inside and took my information. I caught my cat right before the injury got life-threatening. The dove had quite a battle but I think he/she is a survivor after that encounter. Definitely a tough dove as he was also pretty calm in the car over. I believe the dove knew I was trying to help it after I took the cat away. I believe it will heal in time with the care they are going to give. Really felt good about going here and I have high spirits for the dove. I'd like to call and check in about it's status sometime!

This place was a great experience although there were a lot of animals hurt there, and seeing that made me not want to come there often. Because seeing animals hurt makes me feel very sad, and miserable. .

Not to shure, because i was there for a quick sec because of the virus going around. Took a baby hawk in need of some help.

I’m heartbroken, and really disappointed about my experience with the California Wildlife Center. I found a little mourning dove next to my garage door, he was flying a short distance away, trying to stand up, but losing balance and falling on his left side. There are a ton of cats around my neighborhood, so I decided to take him in. I put him in a box, cured some minor wounds, wrapped him in a towel, added a source of heat to warm him a bit, and bought him food. I fixed his sprayed leg with a bandaids, and was feed him 2-3 times feeding schedule until i could take him to a wildlife rescue. The nearest bird rescue was far away, I could do a weekend trip and take him. Meanwhile I nursed him to health for a week, and he was thriving! This lil’ birb was getting stronger, eating his food, was able to hold his weight for a bit without falling on his side, and eventually walked a few steps towards his food. I was so happy! He was doing his best. I called a bunch of avian vet specialist to ask for advice on where to release him, and to take a look at him, but the earliest appointment was next month, and no other vets wanted to see him. Such a lovable, and affectionate little bird, he was sleeping on my lab wrapped in a towel, or searching for my hand to sleep there. It was a joy to have him. I gave him even a name, Rasputin! I checked on him in the morning, and i heard a faint click sound when he was breathing for a bit, and also he was breathing opening a little bit his mouth. I was worried, so I drove to a emergency center where they do take birds. They told me he needed medication for an infection, and to take him to the California wildlife center or to leave him with them to treat him. After talking for a while with the avian vet specialist, she recommended me to drive to a wildlife center hoping he will have better care there. My priority was to give him the best surviving chance so I decided to dropped everything, and drove there. I got the info from the vet, she knew a wildlife center that was closer. I made sure to call first, and they asked me to sent pics to get him accepted. I explained what the vet said, and drove there to save little Rasputin. When I got there, I told them again he needed meds due to an infection as soon as possible, and was diagnosed by an avian vet specialist. I told them how he was improving. They took notes, and my contact info for their database. It was sad to leave him, but I was happy I did everything I could. I called the next day to check on him, the person on the phone asked for my info to search in their database, but she didn’t find anything about lil’ bird or me. Not the diagnosis from the avian vet specialist, she didn’t know which bird I was talking about, and said they had a bunch of those. I implored her to please check on him, and after being on hold, she said they told her he was euthanized due to a broken wing. I told her I was shocked, that it was really unlikable because he was flying happily yesterday when I dropped him. At that point I was just trying to tell her to please to look at one that has a bandaid on his ankles, or just breathing through his beak. She didn’t bother, I told her about the avian vet specialist being adamant about medicating him as soon as possible. She just dismissed me saying birds open their mouth to breath when they’re stressed. I tried again imploring her, she said the same. I was so utterly helpless, I felt I took this little lovable bird to a place where they didn’t care if he died alone. Didn’t even bother to stand up, check which bird was, and try to identify him. I’m so sorry, sad and utterly powerless for how little she cared. I’m sure they do as much as they can, and they are overwhelmed, but doesn’t make up for not even caring. I wish I left him with the avian vet specialist with all my heart. Sorry your life meant so little, I’m heartbroken, it meant a lot to me. I’m sharing this hoping his story to help, and brings some awareness.

If you don't know about California Wildlife Center you need to because inevitably you're going to find some orphaned California Wildlife and won't know what to do. California Wildlife Center is funded completely on donations and run by volunteers and they re abilitate all California Wildlife and release them back to the wild. If you find a wild animal (i found a baby hawk and squirrel) that needs help, call the emergency line and they'll get back to you and tell you what to do. They are the best!

This place is wonderful! A bird with a hurt wing landed on our deck and couldn’t fly. They were so helpful and attentive when I called and came right out to pick him/her up. Very impressed and glad they were so caring. Thank you!

I dropped off an injured crow and I hope it survives! It was a fast an easy trip. They gave me specific instructions to put the crow in a box (with holes) with my info, leave it on the table in their intake tent, and politely beep my horn for them to come out and get it. Someone came out promptly, took the crow, and brought back my box.

California Wildlife Center are awesome! They took in a baby gopher my cats caught. It’s so important to donate/support wildlife sanctuaries because they help so many animals everyday.

I found a native bird which I discovered had avian conjunctivitis (after a quick search of its symptoms on Google, later confirmed by CWC) which had swollen its eyes shut completely. I first called a different rehabilitation center & the man informed me that I would have to “call animal control so the bird can be euthanized” because there was supposedly nothing that could be done Hoping for a second opinion, I called CWC & they told me that the eye infection was 100% treatable. My friend & I drove the bird over an hour to the CWC, which is a lovely building tucked into the mountainside. CWC kept the bird for WEEKS, regularly treating the infection with drops. They even asked me where I had found it so they could release it around the same area when it was healthy again. They kept me updated on its progress (at my request) & even asked if I’d like to help release it back into the wild. They don’t charge a dime but will politely ask for a voluntary donation of any amount. Thank you for your love & care for California’s wildlife!

I have never written a bad review for anyone in my life. This organization told me to take a healthy deer to get Euthanized. They said they couldn’t take it because it wasn’t a baby. They didn’t recommend other options or how I could care for it. I am disgusted with their actions and how unhelpful they were.

On October 4th, 2018, at about 8:30 A.M., I was driving through Korea Town on Wilshire Blvd. towards downtown Los Angeles. Just as I approached New Hampshire Ave., I noticed a black lump in between lanes, and at the same time my wife remarked that she just saw what appeared to be an injured crow. Lucky for the crow, the light turned red. I hoped out of the vehicle, crossed lanes, and strode about two car lengths back. As I approached the object I saw that, indeed, it was a badly injured juvenile crow sitting on its rear with both feet splayed foreward, both wings out towards its sides, and its break open, facing straight upwards, shaking uncontrollably. I reached down, picked it up and held it to my chest as I got to the car. I had a couple of things to take care of over the next hour, but I took the crow to a VCA in Santa Monica around 11 A.M. Dr. Frank Lavac was on duty. He gave the crow an examination, and said that it would probably be best to put the crow down, unless I was willing to take it to California Wildlife Center, which until then I'd never heard of. He mentioned that it was about 40 miles away. I said absolutely, that I would take it right away. I was able to get the crow there at around 1 P.M. It turned out that they have a section for injured crows! I filled out an incident report detailing what I'd observed and where I found the crow (they release birds as close to where they are found, if they survive). I signed a few papers and made a donation of $50 (that isn't much, considering the critical care that bird needed, but I figured it was better than nothing). Their original estimate was that if the crow was going to survive that they would be releasing it in about a month. The crow did survive, but the stay turned out to be longer than intended, probably due to the severity of its injuries. About 3 months later I received snail mail from the center stating that the crow had recovered and had just been released that week. Now, I donate to the center every month. Rehabbing wildlife that gets injured because of human habitat crossovers is a worthy effort to me.

I called regarding injured coyotes in our area. They refused to help.

These guys are great. They care about what they do, and a great group of people. I've been a supporter for years and never disappointed

I called them with a blind baby mouse I found in my backyard. After a failed attempt to leave it there so the mom could find it, I finally put it in the box over some warm bootlegs and an old towel. It was midnight so I couldn’t go to petco to buy formula. And the next day I left to work before any store could open. Anyways, they asked for a close up picture to “determine” if it’s a native / nonnative species. I was flabbergasted: native to what?????? California? Woodland Hills? Or my backyard??? Or if it’s non native then it won’t need help???? I kept the composure as I didn’t have choices, and sent them the pics. In the end they gave me a phone number that never returned my phone calls nor responded to multiple voicemails. They said “we can’t take it in”. I still wonder: why? Because it’s native? Non native? Too big or too small? Not injured?( which I’m pretty sure it was injured). How do they make their decisions, based on what? And how is it that one animal deserves help and care more than the other? I have no idea what they are doing at that place, but they are called Wildlife for one reason: to take wildlife in when it needs their help. But in reality I think they are just using that name for donations.

Gentle well trained staff and a lovely rustic place! Well off the beaten track

Absolutely outstanding rescue facility for injured and orphaned birds and animals which deserves the support of all animal lovers. The people are kind, compassionate and overall wonderful.

I love this place, I have brought over a couple different wild animals that needed care due to injury. They will do their best to help as long as it’s a native californi animal. They accept volunteers as long as you are able to commit 4 hours per week. Good people doing good things!!????????????????

Great people who really care about the animals here. The staff are all very knowledgeable and do their very best to help all the animals they come across.

Make sure you call before you go so you dont waste your time going there just so they can refuse to take the sick animal.

I live in Lancaster. I found two baby California Scrub Jays and I didn't know what to do. They came right up to my door, so I couldn't ignore them. Their parents were extremely active, but I was still worried about the cats in my neighborhood. When I called the Wildlife Center, I was redirected because the birds were not injured and because I live so far away. Then the number they referred me to, I contacted them and they sent me to another number that they asked me to text a photo of the bird and I never received a response. The birds are dead. I genuinely didn't expect the Wildlife Center to come all the way out here, but ANY information of how to help keep them alive would've been nice, which is all I asked for in the first place.

It would be nice that they have a direct number instead of voice mail and that they return a call quickly when someone rescues a wild animal and call the next day to see how he is doing. People care when they rescue...

At this time of year there are hundreds of emaciated sea lions and sea pups looking for food. I'm going to spend the whole day feeding as many as I can and I go on and on. It's one of my things.

Caring organization so glad I found you! Thanks for your help with my baby bird problem!

Me and my family found a baby bird and when we called the wildlife center they said to text them a video about the baby bird and when I did they never replied. Right now it's already to late because sadly the baby bird died and I'm really disappointed how they just ignored me and the baby birds life.

Amazing service these guys perform. We had found an injured wild bird and brought it to the Wildlife Center and they took it in to try to help it. Only asked for voluntary donations... a regular vet would have charged a fortune and then probably wouldn't have even accepted a wild animal in the first place. Glad services like CWC exist.

Me and my mother found a baby bird on the 23 of July, 2016. Me and my mother both called twice. And they told my mom that they where going to call back and never did. They cost the bird's life because they never cared to call back. Please reply back to this.

They were so great!!! I had no idea where to get help for an injured bird. They really helped me out!

One of the most amazing non-profits out there. This organization takes in birds and animals and helps them get healthy enough to reenter wildlife. Its an amazing organization dedicated to the environment and animals.