The day is finally here!

The Wildlife In Need Center is moving to its new home!

After several years of searching, rasing funds and support, and negotiating leases, our more efficient, more green, more public-friendly facility will be opening on Monday, June 27th.

To accomodate for the moving process, the Center will not be accepting calls for phone counseling, nor will we be accepting patients to our clinic on:

Thursday, June 23rd

Friday, June 24th

Saturday, June 25th 

Sunday, June 26th

Click here for links to other area resources that can be of assistance if you've found an animal that you think needs help.

We will open the doors at our new facility at W349 S1480 S. Waterville Road Suite B on
Monday, June 27th.
Please note that our new phone number will be (262) 965-3090

This week and the following, one of the biggest projects going on at the site is the preparation and laying of the permeable paver parking lot. This system allows the water to filter through the parking area more naturally and return back to the water table rather than collecting the dirt and debris and becoming run-off like it would on a traditional black-topped surface.

The exterior of the building is nearly completed.

We hope to be able to make an official move date annoucement in the next few weeks!

April Showers Shall Bring May Flowers

As the spring finally arrives, the new WINC facility is really taking shape. When we set out to design the new center, we wanted to be a green as possible - not always an easy thing to do with a “medical” building. One of the more visible features of our green building however is that we are collecting 100% of the rainwater from the roof and recycling it for use in our outdoor enclosures. This water will be used to clean and water the enclosures throughout the summer. Additionally, a demonstration area has been built to showcase how ordinary people can employ the same techniques at home. Through visual aids and regular public programs we plan to illustrate how anyone can reuse water for irrigation and other outdoor needs. We will also demonstrate how by creating a natural way of filtration, you can create a wonderful outdoor habitat for wildlife that will continue throughout the year. Water conservation and water issues are important for all of us especially in southeastern Wisconsin. Our hope is that this educational model can help someday reduce dependence on well and city water throughout Waukesha County. 

As we move forward as an organization the intent at the new WINC facility will not only be to rehab our injured and orphaned wildlife, but to educate people in the community about ways they can help our surroundings – in turn helping wildlife themselves. 



 Just behind the building, between the library/meeting room and the outdoor enclosure area is the main focal point of the rear water retention system. This area will have a small fountain (much like the smaller size system in the front) that will help to keep the water filtered on a continual basis.





These blocks create the structure that holds the retained water. They have been buried underground and are strong enough to support the weight of the ground, rocks and living habitat that will be created atop them.





WINC volunteer and supporter, Joel Reinders, helps to lay out the foundation rock for the surface of the water retention system. This system will not only allow us to keep many thousands of gallons of water from going directly back into the area streams and groundwater, but will allow us to filter and reuse it as well - saving many gallons of water that would need to be used to properly clean and maintain our outdoor enclosures. This above ground fountain area will also serve as an ideal living habitat for native wildlife and a peaceful sight for staff, volunteers and visitors to the center.



This entire system and the beautiful landscaping that will cover it couldn't have been possible without the combined support of Reinders Inc, Dean Pipito Water Features, the Waukesha County Extension and our many dedicated supporters and volunteers. If you would like to make a monetary or in-kind donation to help us complete this project please contact us.

On December 20th the Staff, Board, supporters and builders from the Wildlife In Need Center and UW-Waukesha gathered for what is known as a "Topping Out" Ceremony. This signifies a milestone because it is when the topmost portions of the buildings framing is put into place.

Although the weather outside... isn't balmy, everyone was willing to tolerate it long enough for the celebration!

Even some of the canine invites helped us send good wishes into the rafters of our new facility!

Alterra Coffee and Hot Chocolate from Black Canyon Coffee, paired with some delicious cookies made it even better!

Wayne Grandy, the Vice President of the WINC Board and also the Committe Chair for the Capital Campaign Committee as well as John Rodell, the Board President for WINC, have had a big hand in making this project a reality. Thank You!

Another milestone...

... was reached when the WINC staff and Board, members of the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha and key people in the construction and funding of the new facility came together on Monday, December 20^th for a “Topping Out” ceremony.  The event is a tradition in the building trade to signify the milestone of placing the highest point of the building.  For us, that is the rafter-peak and everyone got the chance to leave their signature, along with their hopes and dreams for the new building.  

Although the temperature was a little cold, the hot chocolate, coffee and cookies afterward helped warm all who attended.  With the rafters going up this week, we are only a week behind our scheduled timeline.  Not bad considering the delays we had in starting and the weather we’ve had so far this season.

The builders have assured us that they will continue to work throughout the winter and we will be in our new home by the start of WINC’s 2011 busy season. 

Until the next update, on behalf all of us at the Wildlife in Need Center want to wish you and you family a happy holiday season, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  As one of our board members said, it is looking like a really great New Year for WINC!

Excitement and Progress



Framing has begun!



Well the weather held off just long enough for us to stay on track and schedule. The cement slab was poured and the framing has begun as of the end of November. With the building at this stage work should be able to continue throughout the winter, which is a huge relief to all of us involved.

It also means that we can start to turn our attention to the physical move scheduled for April of 2011. There is no question that this will take a lot of planning, cleaning, organizing and logistics. The off-season this year is probably going to be our busiest ever. This, of course, will put a strain on the staff, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getter brighter and we are all excited about the end result.

Also during this time, we will start working with UW-Waukesha to fine tune, and implement some of the collaborative strategies we’ve talked about over the last year and a half. For so long we’ve been focused on a new facility. But, turning our attention to the collaboration and the opportunities the new facility now presents raises the level of excitement to new heights all around. While the facility represents a new benchmark in the growth of the Wildlife in Need Center, the collaboration represents a new chapter in the Center’s long-term vision.  It’s exciting times at the center and I hope all of you are as thrilled with our growth and progress as we are.  



Smooth-textured and tinted cement will make up the floors in much of the clinic areas.





The view of the structure from the NE (back of the building with the Gertrude Sherman Building to the east)

Guest Blogger M.G.

December Snows...

... Bring progress and excitement! We are all greatful to the builders and our supporters, and most of all to Mother Nature, for getting us to the point we needed to be at before winter came upon us! Work continued through November getting the frost walls poured, the well dug, the plumbing installed and the flooring cement poured as well!

As these snowflakes fall they are drifting upon the framing which began going up this week. Watch next week as we get you caught up this aspect of the building process!

Have a warm and safe day!

Although ground was broken in May, major construction began at the site in September. Below you will see some photos of the site just before construction began which will be really fun to look at once there is a building where there was once a field!

The west side of the Gertrude Sherman Building

Looking East toward the west side of the Gertrude Sherman Building

The area where the new WINC facility is being born!

 Keep watching as we keep you up to date on progress!

Breaking Ground





The Gertrude Sherman building at the University of Wisconsin - Waukesha Field Station. The new home of the Wildlife In Need Center will be added on the this existing structure which provides 2 classroom spaces used by UW-Waukesha



Members of the Board, long-time supporters, and Capital Campaign Committee Members, Wayne Grandy, Mary and Tom Roberts help celebrate the first shovel-full



Shovel's In! Work on the long-waited for NEW Wildlife In Need Center facility has begun! We hope you'll join us as we Move Ground and Soar to new Heights