Cleveland County Wildlife Center Damaged by Winter Storm

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

SLAUGHTERVILLE, Oklahoma -- Last week's ice and snow storm collapsed several animal enclosures at WildCare in Slaughterville in Cleveland County.

In the eagle enclosure, the force of the ice and snow snapped utility poles and caused the wire netting to sag. As a result, the bald eagle had to be moved and is now temporarily housed in the owl enclosure.

Neither the eagle nor any other of the 400 animals at WildCare were injured.

"Oh, we were real fortunate," said Owner Rondi Large. "There wasn't an animal on the property that was damaged with the ice storm. It was just their enclosures, so this is the first time the rehab facility has needed the rehabilitation."

Large says repair of the eagle enclosure alone will cost $3,500. She's appealing to the public to make extra donations to help WildCare in its hour of need.

"We built it the first time," says Large. "We can build it again."

So far, WildCare has received about $1,200 in response to its latest appeal.

Make a contribution to WildCare.