Bonorong Wildlife Hospital - A Tasmanian First

Bonorong has always been the ‘go-to’ place for people seeking help for injured wildlife. Realising the critical need for a dedicated centre that could receive, treat and care for injured wildlife, we established our Wildlife Rescue service in 2010 and we have continued to train staff and volunteers in the procedures unique to the handling and treatment of wildlife in need of specialist care.

The Bonorong team had a dream to construct and initiate a completely dedicated Wildlife Hospital to service our 24-hour Wildlife Rescue Service and provide exclusive veterinary treatment for injured and orphaned Tasmanian wildlife.

After many years, hurdles, blood sweat & tears, we were able to make this dream a reality, and opened the doors to the ‘Bonorong Wildlife Hospital’ in 2018. This innovative service now provides safety and care to thousands of animals every year.

We operate with the assistance of hundreds of Bonorong trained community rescuers and the devotion of local wildlife carers, all of whom donate considerable time, money and energy to helping wildlife in need.

The Bonorong Wildlife Hospital is currently the only facility of its kind in the state. We operate the clinic 6 days per week and have a team of experienced veterinary personnel who specialise in wildlife patients.

The Wildlife Hospital’s main treatment rooms have a modern viewing area installed so that guests to the Sanctuary can become a part of the rehabilitation experience. The viewing windows are made of one-way glass so that the patients can be watched by people in a setting that is safe and comfortable for their needs.

The Bonorong Rescue service currently receives around 14,000 calls for injured and orphaned wildlife around the whole of Tasmania every year. The Wildlife Hospital will service many of these calls directly and we tend to see an average of approximately 120 wildlife patients each week.

The animals seen by our veterinary team are often involved in road trauma, cat and dog attacks, entanglement issues and many other issues (usually associated with human activities). Injuries to the wildlife can range from minor scrapes & abrasions to complex wounds & fractures requiring specialised orthopaedic surgeries and intensive care

Some animals stay in rehabilitation for many months due to the extent of their injuries and we have a multitude of dedicated staff that are all trained in different areas of expertise. There are many parts of the rehabilitation process such as specialised diets & nutrition, husbandry, exercise & fitness regimes and correct housing that are all crucial to ensure our patients get through the rehabilitation process correctly and will be fit for release.

We are incredibly proud of the successful outcomes that the hospital achieves for wildlife and how many patients get a second chance of survival.

We receive no government funding for the work we do and rely greatly on the amazing support of our sponsors and donors that help us to keep the Wildlife Hospital running. A huge thank you to IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), Peter Hill, The Bonorong Helping Hands group and many others who have assisted the wildlife hospital directly.

If you would like to see the Wildlife Hospital in operation, it can be viewed as part of any ticket when you visit the Sanctuary on all days apart from Sundays.

The Sad Truth

Native animals left suffering on the roadside is a confronting ethical issue for the community
While vet clinics do their best to help injured wildlife they often do not have the time or the specialist training and facilities that are needed
Native animals die from stress very quickly so being kept in the same area as cats and dogs can hinder their recovery
Carers are currently paying for all animal treatment out of their own pocket including special milk formulas, medications, surgeries, pouches, heat pads, enclosures etc.

The solution

Bonorong has built Tasmania’s first ever wildlife-only veterinary hospital. Wildlife carers are welcome to book appointments with us, and will only be charged for consumables used during consult, and the cost price of medication. If you are a wildlife carer and would like to book an appointment, please email vet@bonorong.com.au
This project is a true community effort and has been possible thanks to the generosity of a huge number of donors and supporters.
Sanctuary visitors can view the Bonorong Wildlife Hospital in action daily (excluding Thursdays and Sundays).

Thank you for your support!

The hospital opened on 22 January 2018 (check out the blog post here).