Raptor Rehabilitation

What to do with an injured raptor

Two former staff members at the Macbride Raptor Project, Jodeane Cancilla and Luke Hart, have obtained state and federal permits for raptor rehabilitation and started a new nonprofit to fill the gap that was created when MRP ended its rehab program in August. Luke's and Jodeane's group is named RARE, which stands for Raptor Advocacy, Rehabilitation, and Education. Dr. Mary Ebert, owner of Gentle Heart Pet Clinic in Iowa City, is the organization's licensed veterinarian, and the group includes several volunteers with many years of experience in raptor rescue, rehab, and education.

As many of you know, Jodeane built the Macbride Raptor Project from the ground up and held many titles there over 28 years, but to her the most important titles were rehabilitator and educator. She had a lot of help along the way from volunteers, interns, and staff, including Luke who was her assistant for 8+ years and who succeeded her for a brief interim period after her retirement. Luke has assumed the leadership role of Executive Director of RARE.

The project is based in Iowa City and serves east central and southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and northeastern Missouri and is incorporated in Iowa as a nonprofit, with application to the IRS for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status pending. The group already has taken in and treated their first client, a starving juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk found near Anamosa that was released back to the wild on November 28.

Members of the Black Hawk Wildlife Rehabilitation Group have been knocking themselves out over the last several months as they have picked up the slack in rescuing and rehabbing raptors. Kudos to them!

Please spread the word so that injured, sick, or distressed raptors in the group's coverage area can be rescued and treated as quickly as possible. To report raptors in need of help, call RARE's hotline, 319-248-9770, or email help@theraregroup.org. For questions or information, call the hotline or email contact@theraregroup.org. The group's web site is www.theraregroup.org.

Rare's address is 818 Third Ave, Iowa City, Ia 52245 if you wish to make donations.