Rescue does not begin when an animal arrives. It begins with being ready.
When a wild animal needs placement, the call may come without much warning. Before Cat Tales Wildlife Center can say yes, we must determine whether we can provide the right habitat, secure required permits, arrange safe transportation, coordinate veterinary care, and make a lifelong commitment to that animal.
The Ready When Rescue Calls campaign helps Cat Tales prepare for those moments while continuing to provide dependable daily care for every animal already living at the sanctuary.
Readiness Makes Responsible Rescue Possible
Accepting a rescued wild animal involves much more than opening a gate.
Every potential rescue must be carefully evaluated. We consider the animal’s species, age, health, behavior, background, housing needs, transportation requirements, legal requirements, and long-term quality of life.
Before an animal can arrive, Cat Tales may need to:
- Obtain permits and required approvals
- Coordinate with wildlife officials, veterinarians, or another facility
- Arrange safe, specialized transportation
- Prepare or modify an appropriate habitat
- Purchase equipment and emergency supplies
- Complete an initial veterinary examination
- Develop a nutrition, enrichment, and daily-care plan
- Ensure that trained caregivers and long-term funding are available
Being prepared allows Cat Tales to respond thoughtfully rather than hurriedly. It also helps ensure that accepting a new animal never compromises the care of the animals who already depend on us.
What Your Donation Supports
Gifts to Ready When Rescue Calls help Cat Tales maintain the resources and flexibility needed to respond to rescues and animal-care emergencies.
Daily and Lifelong Care
Rescue is not a one-time event. Every animal accepted by Cat Tales becomes part of a continuing commitment that includes:
- Species-appropriate food and nutrition
- Daily health and behavior observations
- Clean and secure living areas
- Enrichment and opportunities for choice
- Veterinary support
- Trained caregivers
- Habitat maintenance
- Compassionate care throughout the animal’s life
Preparing for the Next Call While Caring for Those Already Here
Cat Tales provides lifelong care for rescued wild animals who cannot return to the wild. Their needs continue every day, whether or not a new rescue is underway.
That is why rescue readiness and ongoing animal care cannot be separated. Preparing for a future arrival must happen alongside feeding, cleaning, observation, enrichment, veterinary care, and habitat maintenance for current residents.
A strong rescue program does not wait until an emergency to prepare. It builds the capacity to respond responsibly while protecting the quality of care already being provided.
How Cat Tales Evaluates a Potential Rescue
Not every placement request can or should result in an animal being accepted. Responsible rescue sometimes means recognizing that another qualified facility may be better equipped to meet an animal’s needs.
Before accepting an animal, Cat Tales considers whether:
- The placement is legal, and the required permits can be obtained
- An appropriate habitat is available or can be prepared
- Transportation can be completed safely
- The animal’s medical and behavioral needs can be supported
- Staff and students can provide safe, consistent daily care
- The organization can make a responsible lifelong commitment
This process may involve wildlife agencies, veterinarians, the animal’s current caregivers, transportation specialists, and other qualified professionals.
We will share information about a particular rescue only when the necessary arrangements are sufficiently confirmed, and it is appropriate to do so.
More Than 35 Years of Lifelong Care
Cat Tales Wildlife Center is a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and educational facility located in Mead, Washington.
Since 1991, Cat Tales has provided a safe home and lifelong care for wild animals who cannot be released into their natural habitats. The animals in our care have come from many different circumstances, but each one deserves security, appropriate care, and respect as an individual.
Our work brings together three closely connected commitments:
- Wildlife rescue and lifelong care
- Practical animal-care education
- Meaningful public learning experiences
Ready When Rescue Calls helps protect all three by ensuring that Cat Tales can prepare carefully, respond responsibly, and continue caring for every animal entrusted to us.
Campaign Updates
Rescue plans can change as permits, transportation, veterinary needs, habitat preparation, and other arrangements are evaluated.
When a potential rescue is confirmed and information can responsibly be shared, updates will be posted here. We will also report on significant habitat preparations, emergency needs, and completed projects supported through this campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cat Tales regularly evaluates placement requests and potential rescue opportunities. Some situations cannot be announced immediately because permits, transportation, veterinary needs, and other arrangements must first be confirmed.
Information about a particular animal will be shared when the placement is sufficiently certain, and it is responsible to make the details public.
Many rescue-related expenses begin before an animal arrives. Permits, transportation planning, habitat preparation, equipment, veterinary coordination, and emergency supplies may all require advance work.
Maintaining a readiness fund gives Cat Tales the flexibility to respond without taking essential resources away from the animals already in our care.
Gifts to Ready When Rescue Calls support rescue preparation, transportation, veterinary care, habitat improvements, emergency needs, and the lifelong care of Cat Tales residents.
Unless Cat Tales specifically accepts a gift restricted to an approved purpose, donations will be used where they can best support responsible rescue readiness and related animal care.
Wildlife placements can change because of permit decisions, transportation concerns, medical findings, legal requirements, or the availability of a more appropriate placement.
If a potential rescue does not move forward—or if its immediate needs are fully funded—campaign donations will support the area of greatest related need, including emergency preparedness, veterinary care, habitat readiness, and lifelong animal care.
No. Each situation must be evaluated individually. Cat Tales accepts an animal only when the placement is legal, an appropriate habitat and care plan can be provided, and the organization can responsibly commit to the animal’s long-term needs.
C A T T A L E S, doing business as Cat Tales Wildlife Center, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. TIN 91-1538226
Yes. Supporters can visit Cat Tales, share the campaign, sponsor a species, make a recurring gift, contribute through a donor-advised fund, or include Cat Tales in their estate planning.