National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association

“The business and affairs of the association shall be managed by the executive comittee of the board of directors. The executive committee may exercise all such powers of the associations as are not by by-law or by the articles of incorporation directed or required to be exercised by the full board of directors.”

“The organization's four-person internal audit team performs an initial thorough review of the state and federal tax returns. Copies of all returns are then sent to the full board for review and approval once completed and prior to submission to authorities. The board votes to approve all returns as prepared.”

“All board members and staff (central office manager, publications manager) sign a conflict of interest (coi) form annually and all forms are reviewed by the business manager annually. Coi statements are requested from anyone with a connection to or in position to influence, or where personal or business gain is possible. Board members and staff are aware of the coi importance and anyone can question another about a possible coi during board meetings or in supervisor and employee/volunteer interactions. Board members openly disclose a possible conflict during meetings to inform other members. If a conflict is identified, the person is asked to leave the room during discussion and abstain from voting on the issue or business item. Such determination and action would be recorded in the minutes. No coi have been discovered after a transaction has occurred. A coi is determined by the business manager, president, and/or executive committee. Restrictions include exclusion from any decision-making process, financial process (i.e., handling funds), and supervision or approval of related work in progress.”

“President is a non-compensated position. No ceo or ed on staff.”

“The organization's governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements are available upon request.”

“Educational publications, website, courses, and training materials nwra is recognized for publishing one-of-a-kind, high quality volumes with current, professionally reviewed information pertinent to the field for wildlife rehabilitators, educators, and veterinarians. The primary focus is wildlife care and rehabilitation with the goal of releasing healthy animals into appropriate habitat. Production of nwra publications is completed with qualified volunteer editors, authors, contributors, reviewers, proofreaders, layout persons, artists, and graphic submissions. Skilled and knowledgeable individuals are selected to bring high quality publications to print and available for purchase. Nominal pricing fosters and promotes self-education and builds facility reference libraries. Nwra article reprints are available for $1 to $5 each and large, in-depth volumes are only $75. Publications are listed in the website marketplace. In 2015, nwra launched a new website with the potential to greatly expand content and accessibility, and better serve anyone wishing to learn more about wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release. The site, www.nwrawildlife.org, is designed and maintained to function as a resource, not only for members, but also for the public or casual browsers seeking information on the profession, assistance with injured wildlife, or nwra itself. Funding for continued website maintenance and improvement was provided by the barkley fund. Since 1999, the nwra wildlife medicine course has been taught at veterinary schools across the us and canada, proactively exposing veterinary students to the concept of humane care for wildlife and basic approaches to wildlife stabilization and medical treatment. Veterinary students are provided with intense didactic and hands-on training by experienced wildlife veterinarians in a variety of practical topics in wildlife medicine, including special modifications necessary for many wildlife species if they are to survive and be released. Funding for courses is provided by a grant from the kenneth a. Scott charitable trust. Examples of nwra publications and educational and training materials include: 1. Answering the call of the wild, a hotline operator's guide to helping people and wildlife. This ultimate guide for handling calls about wildlife emergencies has more than 500 pages of well-organized information needed to set up and operate an effective wildlife hotline. An enormous range of information is essential for those undertaking the daunting task of providing humane and biologically appropriate responses to wildlife emergencies. Advice offered demonstrates a broad understanding of wildlife behavior and problems, and recommendations are aimed at minimizing human interference with wildlife except in cases of genuine emergency. It is designed for wildlife rehabilitators, animal control agencies, animal rescue organizations, nature centers, parks, and any telephone service that receives calls about wildlife they endeavor to answer. 2. Principles of wildlife rehabilitation: the essential guide for novice and experienced rehabilitators. Still recognized as the premier textbook in our field, this book continues to be used widely as a training manual for novice wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers, the primary text for college and university classes, as well as being a reliable reference manual. More than 7,500 are in circulation in our unique field. This 667-page indexed volume is produced and published by nwra and is the only publication available that encompasses essential aspects of wildlife rehabilitation, including contact information for agencies, organizations, and product vendors needed by wildlife rehabilitators. 3. Minimum standards for wildlife rehabilitation. This peer-reviewed standard of minimum requirements to provide appropriate care for wildlife in temporary captivity has been adopted into permitting and licensing regulations by several state agencies and the us fish & wildli”

“Annual symposium nwra's annual national symposium continues to be the largest and most comprehensive professional training and development event in the field. The 33rd symposium held in princeton, nj, was attended by 459 people from 39 states, 4 canadian provinces, india, and guam. Four-day member general registration was a nominal $125; the low cost is designed to enable attendance for many members who are self-funded and/or rely on donations. Five days of concurrent programming, including a fifth day of targeted 8-hour seminars, offered in excess of 150 hours of education and skills training presented by more than 90 speakers and lab instructors. Two targeted 8-hour seminars on basic wildlife rehabilitation and clinical diagnostic techniques, and 14 hands-on skills development workshops, most preceded by a pre-requisite lecture, provided supervised practical experience. Another 8-hour seminar focused on building and enhancing your public education and outreach. The poster session displayed studies not presented elsewhere. State veterinary boards and natural resource departments, as well as federal migratory bird offices, approve symposium presentations for continuing education credits required of practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and licensed wildlife rehabilitators. As with other nwra programs, volunteers play a key role in ensuring each annual symposium is successful and affordable for attendees. Nwra recorded 134 volunteers working more than 4,000 hours toward the success of symposium 2015. The volunteer symposium, program, and workshop coordinators all work year-round to plan and secure the site, hotel, speakers, workshop supplies, field trips, evening banquet, icebreaker reception, and everything that occurs during the week-long event. During the symposium, trained volunteers staff the registration/information desk and the av team, and serve as speakers, moderators, workshop instructors, and assistants. Since 1982, nwra has produced 33 national symposia in 22 different states; cumulative attendance exceeds 13,300 people. View information on past and future symposia online at www.nwrawildlife.org in the symposium section and in annual reports.”

“Membership benefits nwra provides updated resources to sustain the efforts of dedicated wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians who care for injured wild animals, and those who educate concerned citizens about wildlife behavior and survival. Member benefits focus on the association's mission of improving and promoting the profession of wildlife rehabilitation and its contributions to preserving natural ecosystems. Information and resources help members improve wildlife care and release, more timely and effectively respond and educate the public in wildlife situations or encounters, and better manage time, funds, resources, volunteers, and staff. Nwra employs a part-time editor for membership benefit publications, but all author manuscripts and other content, reviewing, proofreading, cover artwork, and layout of publications is accomplished by skilled volunteers. Members receive benefits for a nominal $50 for individual annual dues. Family memberships, reduced rate student memberships, and lifetime memberships also are available. Member benefits include: 1. Wildlife rehabilitation bulletin-48 to 52 page semi-annual peer-reviewed journal with wildlife care, medical articles, and new discoveries within the field; 2. Twice monthly emails conveying critical news, such as diseases of concern (avian influenza, rabies and other zoonoses, bat white-nose syndrome, distemper), pertinent information from the american veterinary medical association and the us fish & wildlife service, availability of resources, and time-sensitive announcements; 3. Website member-only section for finding resources and networking with other members; 4. Access to insurance plans specifically designed to cover the unique activities and requirements of wildlife rehabilitators; 5. Membership directory-annual listing of members willing to network, used as a resource for obtaining advice, assistance, and for wildlife patient transfers; 6. The wildlife rehabilitator-12 to 16 page semi-annual newsletter with association news, pertinent information from related fields, and opportunities, such as scholarships and small grants available; 7. Discounts on purchases of all nwra educational publications and materials; and, 8. Discounts on annual symposium registration.”

“The organization has a committee that assumes responsibility for the audit. This process has not changed from the prior year.”