Dear Friends of AWI, I am writing to advise you of a challenge that is facing the Atlantic Wildlife Institute and am seeking your support in how best to deal with it. Since we opened our doors in 1996 as a centre for wildlife rehabilitation and education we have shared a common commitment to the conservation of nature and the protection of environmental and human health with many regional organizations and individuals. Today, our ability to fulfill our part in that commitment is at risk. The reason is simple. In common with many other charitable organizations, our operational funding from individual, corporate and foundation donors has been drastically reduced as a result of the current economic recession. Promised funding, on the assurance of which we had based our 2009/2010 budget projections, has fallen short of expectations by more than $75,000 while the need to respond to wildlife emergencies continues to grow. This past summer, we operated at or above our full capacity despite the financial strain because of this greater demand. Consequently, this has led us to suspend our long-standing open-door policy until further notice. AWI is not accepting any more wildlife care cases at this time, but rather, concentrating our resources on caring for the animals currently in our care. A modest estimate of the real costs (food, bedding, veterinary costs, fuel, labour, overhead) of providing these wildlife services amounts to approximately $135,000. This does not include our educational programming or on-going site maintenance costs. In the absence of funding on this scale, we have depended heavily on volunteer services and in-kind donations and have declined to take salaries for our own full-time labour. Clearly, this situation is not sustainable in the long term. Equally clearly, by using our services, New Brunswickers demonstrate their belief that wildlife rescue and rehabilitation are legitimate and important functions in a healthy society. How shall we deal with this dilemma? The public believes AWI is providing an important and necessary service. It therefore seems reasonable to ask that a fair share of the financial burden be met from the public purse. Indeed, precedents exist in many jurisdictions for organizations to receive compensation from various levels of government for their intervention in wildlife emergencies. That said, we are also conscious of the many demands on public spending and are realistic enough to know that wildlife rehabilitation is not presently a very high priority in government policy in New Brunswick. It is in this context that we are turning to our friends and partners in the fields of animal care, environmental science, and conservation for assistance. Do you agree that a provincial policy regarding wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, backed by the assurance of an appropriate guarantee of core funding by the Province, be an important element in addressing regional wildlife emergency concerns? If yes, then please help us voice this position by expressing your individual and/or organizational support through written endorsement of our work to the addresses or emails listed below. Also, feel free to share this request with other individuals and organizations that may have an interest in helping. When stating your endorsement, we ask you to please copy your position to AWI. If you would like to discuss any ideas or suggestions, we welcome your input. I can be contacted by email at barry@atlanticwildlife.ca By your show of support, AWI might soon be able to re-open its doors and resume its full program of rescue, rehab, research and education. Sincerely, Barry Rothfuss, executive director, 506-364-1902, 220 Cookville Road, Cookville, NB, E4L 1Z8 Hon. Wally Stiles, Minister New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 wally.stiles@gnb.ca Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, MP for Beauséjour 328 Main Street, Suite 1 Shediac NB E4P 2E3 Tel.: 506 533-5700 Toll-free: 1-800-432-0311 dominic.leblanc@nb.aibn.com Hon. Shawn Graham, Premier Centennial Building P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Shawn.Graham@gnb.ca