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Donated Christmas trees can bring holiday cheer to wild animals

Arizona refuge center accepts donations of Christmas trees this holiday season

Posted 12/18/19

Christmas trees aren’t just for ornaments, garland and candy canes. The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale welcomes donations of fresh, all-natural Christmas trees this …

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Donated Christmas trees can bring holiday cheer to wild animals

Arizona refuge center accepts donations of Christmas trees this holiday season

Posted

Christmas trees aren’t just for ornaments, garland and candy canes. The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale welcomes donations of fresh, all-natural Christmas trees this holiday season.

Southwest Wildlife will accept donations of fresh trees that have not been decorated or treated with any types of sprays that might affect the animals.
Various animals at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center enjoy the trees, according to a press release. Those include bears and mountain lions.

“Our animals love the Christmas trees to play with and enjoy. The donations of fresh trees always bring our animals and staff some holiday cheer,” said Linda Searles, executive director and founder of the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, in a prepared statement.

The center is also open for tours this holiday season.

Those interested in visiting can sign up at: southwestwildlife.org.

Ms. Searles said the Scottsdale wild animal refuge and rehabilitation center is also in need of equipment and other donations including a forklift, chainsaws, generators, storage containers as well as medical and veterinary equipment and supplies.

“The holiday season is very important to our fundraising and budgets. We appreciate any and all community support for our efforts to save wild animals ‘one life at a time’,” Ms. Searles said.

The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is home to approximately 350 wild animals including foxes, porcupines, coyotes, bobcats, owls, bears, hawks and mountain lions, the press release stated.

The nonprofit Scottsdale animal refuge has listed preferred donations on a wish list on its website and an Amazon wish list. That list includes enrichment toys for the animals as well as other items SWCC needs.

The non-profit wildlife refuge is located near 156th Street and Rio Verde Drive in Scottsdale. The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center rescues and rehabilitates dozens of native wild animals always with the goal to release the animals back into the wild, whenever possible.

Southwest Wildlife operates solely from the public’s support and relies on donations and grants to keep the facility open with trained volunteers and veterinarians caring for the animals 24/7.

To make a donation or for more information on how you can sponsor an animal visit southwestwildlife.org/donate/donate/donate.html. Public tours, small group outings and special event space is also available at Southwest Wildlife.