2023 Summer Job Opportunities
These jobs are made possible under the Canada Summer Jobs program. To be eligible under the program, youth must: be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment (youth do not need to be current [...]
Your donation will be matched!
Donate by December 31 and your donation will be MATCHED, up to a total of $12,000! Donate today
2022 Calendar Is Here!
Calendars are $20 each plus postage. All proceeds benefit wildlife. The calendar features beautiful photos, quick facts and stories of our wild patients. Order here.
RVWS Is Hiring!
RVWS is looking for an experienced, enthusiastic Operations Manager to lead and grow all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation operations and related services. See the PDF job description for details. The position will remain open until filled.
The 2023 Calendar Is Here!
Each month features wildlife in our care this year, their stories and fun facts. At only $25 each ($22 each for 4 or more calendars) plus postage, they make the perfect gift. Be sure to ORDER NOW as we sell out every [...]
Your Holiday Gift Will Be Matched!
I’m excited to share that several generous supporters have pledged to MATCH YOUR HOLIDAY DONATION, up to a total of $10,000! To provide care for the more than 1,000 injured and orphaned wildlife expected next year, the Sanctuary relies entirely [...]
Wildlife Baby Shower Appeal
As you know, spring is the busiest time of year for the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. We're so glad that there are loyal supporters like you, who we can count on during this challenging season. In just the past few [...]
Should People Feed Wildlife?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xd_t9GjJ7s&ab_channel=RideauValleyWildlifeSanctuary The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary discourages the feeding of animals in the wild. While feeding wildlife is fun and stems from a genuine care for wildlife, it can be harmful to the animals. Please watch for more info.
Why Live-Trapping Animals is Not Humane
Although once a popular answer to wildlife problems, live-trapping and relocating wildlife is NOT a humane solution! Here are some reasons why:
Spring Wildlife Babies
https://youtu.be/3ryIWjqPShA Throughout the spring, your donations have helped us to care for almost 500 injured and orphaned wildlife. Here are some of the babies you helped rescue. Thank you!
Help us win $20,000!
This June, every dollar you donate through CanadaHelps enters RVWS for a chance to win $20,000! With donations still down for most charities, your gift will give injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance at life in the wild! Donate [...]
Wildlife Benefit Art Show
Have a beautiful wildlife painting grace your walls and help local wildlife! In March, the Electric Street Gallery in Ottawa is hosting a Wildlife Benefit Show for RVWS featuring a collection of local artist Anita Utas’ original wildlife paintings and [...]
Now Hiring!
RVWS is excited to be hiring 2021 summer student positions! Some fall positions are also available. Some jobs are on-site as we are an essential animal health care organization, other positions can be done remotely. See our Job Opportunities page [...]
RVWS Calendar
Our 2021 calendar is here! The calendar features beautiful photos and stories of our wild patients. Order early as we sold out last year. Shipping begins right away. To order by Paypal, choose the quantity below from the drop-down menu. [...]
Personal Fundraisers Make an Impact
Fundraising for RVWS through social media can have a significant impact and is easier than ever. In 2020 alone, online personal fundraisers have already raised more than $6,500 for the animals at RVWS. You can create your personal fundraising page [...]
Virtual Open House, Aug 4-14
Tune in to Facebook from August 4-14 for a behind-the-scenes look at how your donation helps care for the animals. Every day will feature new posts and videos to give you a peek into the wildlife rehab world, featuring adorable [...]
Before you rescue an animal, STOP and READ…
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, please read the info on our website. RVWS is swamped because of COVID safety measures and many problems can be solved or avoided without our help. Use the links in the left menu for more [...]
RVWS an essential service during the pandemic
As an essential animal welfare organization, RVWS is open for business. While life as we know it has changed dramatically with COVID-19, injured and orphaned wildlife still need our collective help. RVWS has adjusted to the new reality of the [...]
Co-existing with coyotes
Read our one-page fact sheet on coyotes to help dispel myths about them, and give you information to better understand and help you live peacefully with these remarkable creatures.
2019 RVWS Calendar
Our 2019 calendar is here! The calendar features beautiful photos and stories of our wild patients. Order early as we sold out last year. Shipping begins mid-November. To order by Paypal, choose the quantity below. When you click the "buy [...]
B&H grocer comes to the rescue
Huge thanks go out to B&H Your Community Grocer, and owners Jim and Judy Beveridge, for providing weekly donations of meat and fish all summer to help our six orphaned foxes thrive and grow. B&H Your Community Grocer is family [...]
Barrhaven expansion
The highlighted areas on these maps show the expansion of housing in Barrhaven over the years. You can also see expanded agricultural and industrial areas. It's not hard to imagine the impact this has had on wildlife habitat and movement [...]
Open House 2018
The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary’s annual Open House will take place June 2 and 3, 2018, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. There will be tours of the wildlife centre where you can see wildlife being fed through one-way viewing [...]
Summer Student Job Opportunities
RVWS is now accepting applications for summer student positions. Please note that these jobs are still pending approval, expected in mid to late April, under the Canada Summer Jobs program. To be eligible under the program, students must: - be [...]
A community comes together during the season of giving to help stranded Big Brown Bats
Tis the season of giving and with it, the coming together of a community and partners to save a colony of 46 big brown bats who found themselves without a winter hibernation home. Early last week, parishioners at the Holy [...]
Chipmunk spinning class
One of our three overwintering chips getting a wee bit of exercise:)
Before and After
Here are some of the most notable before and after photos of our patients this year. Striped Skunk Alfalfa was admitted this spring with a severe case of mange; she was almost completely bald. She received four antiparasitic treatments and [...]
It’s release time!
Releasing our patients back to the wild is the best part of the job!
RVWS Bottle Drive
The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is holding its first bottle drive to help support the wildlife in our care. We are accepting empty beer/cooler cans and bottles, wine and liquor bottles, and wine boxes. You can drop off bottles anytime [...]
Open House 2017
The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary's annual Open House will take place June 3 and 4, 2017, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. There will be tours of the wildlife centre where you can see wildlife being fed through one-way viewing [...]
Summer Student Jobs Available!
Thanks to the federal Canada Summer Jobs program, RVWS is pleased to offer several summer student job opportunities this summer. Click here for details. Apply early as we'll be hiring asap!
Help Prep for Wildlife Baby Season
Volunteers needed to help clean, organize and repair the rehab centre to prepare for the wildlife baby season. We received our first baby squirrel call on March 17, but luckily reunited the baby with mama. Please join us on March 25-26 [...]
Comedy for Critters
Join us for what promises to be a night full of laughs at LIVE! on Elgin, February 20. Featuring Canada's comedy legend, Mike MacDonald, and two other acts, all hosted by Nick Burden. Seats are limited so order early. Address [...]
Dr. Andrea Faught
Dr. Andrea Faught is a full-time physician in the Geriatric Rehabilitation Program and the Stroke Program at Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital in Ottawa. Dr. Faught is the former President and Vice-President of the Medical Staff. She was a long-standing member of [...]
Save wildlife with your United Way donation!
You can help wildlife by directing your United Way donation to the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Simply use the standard form and provide our charitable registration number (82731 7744 RR0001). Thank you!
Congratulations to Steve Beverly
Steve Beverly, the winning ticket holder of our lottery for two Senators tickets for the game of choice during the 2016-17 season! Thank you everyone for supporting wildlife.
Red Fox Release Video
This adult red fox was brought to RVWS after being hit by a car. She arrived unresponsive and in critical condition, but began to slowly improve after several days of rest and intensive care, which included fluid therapy, and anti-inflammatory and pain [...]
Register Now for 2016 Open House Tickets
Our 2016 annual Open House will be held on Saturday, June 18 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Open House will feature tours of the wildlife centre, musical entertainment, a barbq and bake sale, a fun photo booth, a silent [...]
2016 Wildlife Baby Video
Meet wildlife babies, past and present, progressing from their fragile state when admitted, through to their "teenage” years and release back home to the wild. All thanks to our dedicated donors and team of volunteers.
Bobby the raccoon was shot with a BB gun
Not long ago, a kind citizen rescued a wounded raccoon. When the raccoon arrived at RVWS, it was obvious that he had injuries to his face and had trouble walking. He was dehydrated and too scrawny to survive the winter. Someone had shot the [...]
Congratulations to Mike Perrin, winner of Sens Tickets
Congratulations to Mike Perrin, winner of the raffle prize of two tickets to the Ottawa Senators game of his choice during the 2015-2016 season! Thanks to everyone who purchased raffle tickets at the Open House. (Ottawa License Number M757220)
Open House 2015
The RVWS Open House on June 20, 2015 was a huge success, thanks to more than 500 guests, the many volunteers, the band “Grateful We’re Not Dead” who entertained us with their country tunes, a fun photo booth donated by EventBots, [...]
Donation Matching Campaign Raises $20,000
We have wonderful news! The donation matching campaign was a massive success, thanks to your generosity. $10,000 was donated and all $10,000 was matched by the anonymous donor, for a grand total of $20,000! That will go a long way [...]
Double Your Donation
Donate by April 20 and your gift will be matched! Orphaned wildlife babies are already arriving despite the late, cold spring. Your donation this spring can have twice the impact and give wildlife a second chance at life in the [...]
Pepe the Striped Skunk
Pepe the Striped Skunk arrived at the sanctuary as an orphan. He also had mange, a skin mite that causes hair loss and lesions, which can lead to infection and other debilitating conditions. Fortunately, mange is easily treated with repeated [...]
Stop feeding Nepean coyote, group tells Ottawa commuters: Coyote now sees cars as a food source
CBC News Posted: Nov 26, 2014 8:56 AM ET The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is warning commuters against feeding a coyote that has settled in Nepean. "What's happening with this coyote is that over time it's been fed by passing cars [...]
Animal Control Relocates Mom, Creates Orphans
When an Ottawa family discovered a groundhog making its home under their front steps this spring, they phoned an animal control company. Unfortunately, the animal control company did not practice humane methods – they relocated the adult groundhog and filled [...]
Sheldon the Raccoon
Sheldon the raccoon was found at three weeks old, lying on the floor of a storage barn. When he arrived at the sanctuary, our examination showed that he was severely dehydrated and had head trauma from his fall. After two [...]
Experts trying to find, trap possibly sick coyote in Nepean: 5 reports of possible coyote sightings in Nepean since Oct. 31
CBC News Posted: Nov 05, 2014 2:13 PM ET Mange is highly treatable. The fox on the left is shown with mange, and the image on the right is the same fox three weeks into treatment at the Rideau Valley [...]
Muriel the Blanding’s Turtle
Muriel the Blanding’s Turtle, a threatened species in Ontario, was crossing a farmer’s pasture when she was kicked by a donkey, losing a large section of her upper shell. We cleaned and dressed her wound, and gave medications to alleviate [...]
Sleepy #busfox wakes up Ottawa twitterverse
By Samantha Wright Allen, Ottawa Sun Published on: July 23, 2014 This fox grabbed 40 winks by taking a nap on an empty OC Transpo bus. Courtesy City of Ottawa A picture of a fox curled in a cosy [...]
Fox takes nap on bus
This fox grabbed 40 winks by taking a nap on an empty OC Transpo bus. Courtesy City of Ottawa By Doug Hempstead, Ottawa Sun Let’s call him Presto the fox, and he was a pretty big hit on [...]
Open House 2014
Saturday, June 14, 12 - 4 p.m. North Gower (register below to receive address and driving directions) Drop in on Saturday, June 14, anytime between noon and 4 pm, for the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary's annual Open House. There will [...]
Red squirrels vs. chainsaw
Homeowners chainsawed a dead tree and unintentionally hit a nest of baby red squirrels. Frankenstein (right) sustained severe lacerations across his back and belly, and lost the tip of his tail. Shelly (left) lost most of her tail. Frankenstein [...]
Sarah Beauregard
Sarah Beauregard, Rehabilitation Coordinator
Linda Laurus
Linda Laurus(Founder and Executive Director)
Harriet the Red Squirrel
Harriet the Red Squirrel was discovered lying alone and cold on someone’s driveway. Attempts at reunification with mom were not successful so she was brought to RVWS. Harriet was released in mid-September back where she was found.
Linda Laurus
Linda Laurus is a policy and communications consultant, having provided policy, regulatory and writing services to government clients for more than 20 years. Her specialty is environmental protection. Linda has more than 16 year’s experience working with wildlife, as a [...]
Michael Kruse
Michael Kruse is Director of Pre-construction Services at Aecon Buildings Ottawa. His position includes responsibility for the estimating team, tenders and budgeting, tender processes, as well as budgeting and pro-formas to assist clients. Michael has been a part-time teacher of [...]
Trapped beaver tale has a happy ending, Ottawa Citizen
A beaver ostensibly trapped in a lock chamber of the Rideau Canal at Merrickville had locals fretting about its fate over the Easter weekend. It was finally rescued by local volunteer firefighters. On a weekend better known for [...]
Pranks a lot! Ottawans jump in on April Fools fun, Ottawa Sun
Ottawa might have the reputation as a boring city, but there was no shortage of pranksters on the prowl on April Fools Day. Various news agencies staged their own tall tales, all the while sorting through a multitude of hilarious [...]
Winter woes hurting animals: Experts says migratory birds returning to Ottawa too early, Ottawa
Experts say that while animals that hibernate, like these chipmunks, will simply wait for warmer weather; migratory birds are returning to Ottawa too early due to increased daylight. Let's hope migratory birds who summer in Ottawa decide to [...]
Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary filling its expansion with critters, Ottawa
After nearly two decades of getting to word out about its mission and services, the small facility in North Gower is routinely over-run with orphaned or injured animals — this year more than ever. Thanks to a recent expansion, the [...]
Wildlife sanctuary facing financial pressure after expansion: Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary says more injured, orphaned requires more donations, CBC Ottawa
The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary says it has admitted a higher-than-normal number of mammals and turtles so far this year. (Photo courtesy of Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary) The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary says it's facing financial pressures because [...]
Raccoon with Broken Leg
Red the raccoon arrived at the sanctuary as an orphan with a broken leg. He required frequent trips to the veterinarian, x-rays and bandage changes for three months as his leg healed. Red's final x-ray showed that his bone had [...]
Litter of Nine Skunks
This Striped Skunk, one in an unusually large litter of nine babies, was orphaned when something happened to mom. The homeowners watched over the babies, who were nesting under a shed in their backyard, for several days until it was [...]
Blanding’s Turtle Blues
by Kristen Dolenko Easily identified by its domed shell and bright yellow markings, the Blanding’s Turtle is one of three turtle species most common in the Ottawa area. It is also considered a threatened and protected species at risk because [...]
Henry the 10 kg Snapping Turtle
Henry, a 10 kg Snapping Turtle, arrived early in the season after being hit by a car. He sustained a large fracture on his carapace, or upper shell. He will have to spend the winter at RVWS to allow his [...]
Press release: Record Number of Orphaned and Injured Animals Wildlife Admitted for Care
Ottawa region's only rehabilitator of wild mammals and turtles appealing for support. August 26, 2013, Ottawa - The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary has admitted more than 620 orphaned and injured wildlife this year, compared to 480 in all of 2012. [...]
Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Canadian Geographic
After a long Canadian winter, nothing screams spring like longer days, warmer temperatures, melting snow and, for the staff at the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, baby animals - lots of them! For months the Rideau Valley Animal Sanctuary has been [...]
Orphaned Raccoon Tyson
Raccoon baby Tyson came to the sanctuary at only 2 weeks old. He was orphaned when an animal control company removed babies from an attic and put them in a heated box next to the house. Mom moved three babies, [...]
Lucky and the Tin Can
Every year, thousands of wild animals are injured or killed because of discarded litter. RVWS recently encountered a situation that could have ended as badly had it not been for Mac and Brenda, who rescued a skunk with a tin [...]
Orphaned Skunk with Broken Jaw
Little Amelia came to us as a lost orphan with a broken jaw. Her jaw was wired together for six weeks, healed well and she was switched gradually from a soft diet to dog kibble.
30+ Year Old Snapping Turtle
Toby, the male 35-lb, 30+ year old snapping turtle, was our most talked-about guest. A gentle creature for a snapper (snappers appear aggressive when threatened because they cannot retract their limbs, head or tail into their shell like other species). [...]
Press release: Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary raises $100,000 needed to open for 2012
Region’s only licensed rehabilitator of wild mammals and turtles will open May 2 April 26, 2012, Ottawa – The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is stunned and delighted by the outpouring of support resulting in $100,000 in donations. On April 1, the [...]
Press release: Last-minute donations giving hope to Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Region’s only licensed rehabilitator of wild mammals and turtles still facing $35,000 shortfall April 20, 2012, Ottawa – As of April 1, the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary had raised only $11,500 of a needed $100,000 and sadly realized we would [...]
Wildlife Sanctuary closes its doors, Ottawa
BY TONY SPEARS, OTTAWA SUN, April 17, 2012 Lack of funds is forcing the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary to shut its doors. The sanctuary "fell well short of its April 1 fundraising goal," founder Linda Laurus wrote in an e-mail [...]
Call of the wild answered in full, By Earl McRae
By EARL MCRAE June 8, 2008 "It is just so incredible, a dream come true." -- Linda Laurus If this was an animated Disney movie, the little animals would be up and dancing all around her farmhouse. The chipmunks holding [...]
Letters to the Editor, Ottawa
Ottawa Sun, May 20, 2008 Re "Distress call goes out," by Earl McRae (May 18): My heartiest congratulations to Earl McRae. Many is the worthy cause that he has championed over the years; however, none could be worthier than the [...]
Distress call goes out: Small animal sanctuary needs cash to convert old stable into shelter, Ottawa
By EARL MCRAE, Ottawa Sun May 18, 2008 Her name is Linda Laurus and you can call this crisis: The call of the wild. A call so important, so necessary, and if you care about helping others in genuine need [...]
Press release: Learn to live with coyotes says Ottawa wildlife rehabilitation centre
January 28, 2008 —NORTH GOWER— Although coyotes have been spotted in urban Ottawa, there is no need to panic. It is very understandable that people may be alarmed when what is perceived as an aggressive wild carnivore wanders into an [...]
Fox with Sarcoptic Mange
This summer, we documented a case about an extremely sick red fox. After several attempts, the fox was successfully trapped and brought to our centre. He had a severe case of mange, a parasitic skin mite that results in hair [...]