Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care
Rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing hundreds of animals each year
Founded in 1978, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care existed in the home of the Cheryl & Tom Millham until 2015, when they invested in a 27-acre property on which to build a modern facility. They rescue, rehabilitate and release all species of injured and orphaned wildlife, having successfully released over 15,000 animals back into the wild so far. The ongoing plan is to have dedicated buildings available for each type of animal they encounter most often in addition to a state-of-the-art hospital with all the necessary elements for a large animal rescue operation.
In July of 2019, Bently Foundation awarded LTWC with a $240,000 grant to fully fund the construction of their raptor building. One of the largest enclosures on the property, the Bently Foundation Flight Area is mostly "outdoors" in order to provide plenty of space for eagles, hawks, falcons, owls and other large birds to fly while they recover from their injuries.
LTWC has always put animals first, and in 2021 was finally ready to make space for people. Until then the office, hospital, maintenance room, and other human-specific facilities had been makeshift spaces in the increasingly roomy animal enclosures. Animals that required 24-hour care literally had to go home with volunteers as there was nowhere for people to sleep. They are now working on the main hospital building complete with a visitor/ receiving area, hospital, hot rooms, animal food kitchen, living space for volunteers, large multipurpose room, offices, garage, workshop & more. This large, complex building will be the "face" of the operation that people see when they bring wildlife in for treatment. It will also offer education opportunities for children, veterinarians, and the general public to learn about what LTWC does for animals.
in 2021, and in partnership with another funder, Bently Foundation presented Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care with a challenge grant to help raise over one million dollars to finish the Rehabilitation Building. Bently Foundation and MH Buckeye each committed $250,000 to this cause with a 1:1 match, which LTWC was able to secure quickly thanks to the generosity of the local community and their many dedicated donors. We look forward to seeing the Rehabilitation Building complete in the very near future.
