{"id":45545,"date":"2025-02-25T10:36:51","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T08:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milvus.ro\/sanctuary-and-healing-18-years-in-service-of-injured-animals\/"},"modified":"2025-02-25T11:22:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T09:22:13","slug":"sanctuary-and-healing-18-years-in-service-of-injured-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milvus.ro\/en\/sanctuary-and-healing-18-years-in-service-of-injured-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"Sanctuary and Healing: 18 years in service of injured animals"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2024, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre<\/a> celebrated its 18th anniversary\u2014an important milestone, marking maturity and vast experience in saving wild animals that, for various reasons, require medical care and a place to recover.<\/span><\/p>

We must admit that starting an “animal hospital” was not part of our original plans. However, as we traveled across the country observing various bird species, we encountered more and more injured, confiscated, or illegally traded animals.<\/p>

This is how it all began…<\/h2>

We couldn\u2019t remain indifferent to the sight of these animals in distress. In the early years, the rehabilitation centre was located in the courtyard of our office, where we initially had improvised cages, later replaced by specialised aviaries. As our patients required professional care, several veterinarians from T\u00e2rgu Mure\u0219 got involved, and thanks to the enthusiasm of Dr. Borka-Vitalis Levente<\/strong>, the <\/span>Vets4Wild<\/b><\/a> association was born. By 2011, we were already treating around 70 injured birds per year.<\/span><\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/figure>

2012 \u2013 a turning point<\/h2>

In autumn 2012<\/strong>, the Milvus Group, together with Vets4Wild, began construction on the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in S\u00e2nsimion (Mure\u0219 County).<\/strong> With the support of the <\/span>LIFE project<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>we built a 4-metre-high, 25-metre-long aviary<\/span><\/a>, where large birds could practise flying before being released back into the wild. This was followed by a visit<\/a> to our partners in Bulgaria, Green Balkans, who have over 20 years of experience in wildlife rehabilitation. That experience gave us a huge boost of enthusiasm and helped us develop a plan for the continued growth of our centre.<\/span><\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
The first aviary for large birds<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>

Our work started to pay off<\/h2>

In 2014, we achieved record results, both in the number of patients and the quality of our services. The centre operated at full capacity almost all year, showing the urgent need for further infrastructure development. That year, we took in 151 birds, 14 mammals, and one reptile. To meet the growing demand, we built a stork aviary and a shelter for medium-sized mammals (such as deer, martens, and hares).<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
We had record numbers of patients<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>

We found reliable allies<\/h2>

Winning the project “Establishing a National Network for the Rescue of Injured Wild Animals”,<\/strong> funded through the EEA Grants 2009\u20132014 under the NGO Fund in Romania, was another crucial moment in the life of the centre. Thanks to this project, we managed to:<\/span><\/p>