Manitoulin Transport rescues wildlife rescue centres across Ontario

Manitoulin Transport has been delivering, numerous skids of dry pet food and cleaning supplies to Ontario Wildlife Rescue Centres across the province at no charge since the beginning of the year. (Supplied)

Since January, Manitoulin Transport has been delivering, numerous skids of food and cleaning supplies to Ontario Wildlife Rescue centres across the province at no charge.

Wildlife rescue centres take in injured or orphaned wild animals and rehabilitate and release them back into the wild. The centres are licensed by Ministry of Natural Resources, yet they do not get support from any level of government. Most centres are run by volunteers and are completely dependent on the public for support.

Food is one of the largest expenses for any wildlife rescue centre. Several pet food companies donate expired, damaged or discontinued dry dog food to the Ontario Wildlife Rescue; however, getting the food to centres across the province has been expensive and at times impractical.

Manitoulin Transport has already delivered 51 skids, about 25 tonnes of food and cleaning supplies, to rescue centres all over Ontario including Sudbury, Barrie, Thunder Bay, Huntsville, Ottawa, Peterborough, Pembroke, London, Cambridge and St. Catharines.

"Ontario Wildlife Rescue is doing great work. Their volunteers put their heart and soul into helping wild animals and we wanted to do our part and get involved. Manitoulin Transport is proud to support such an important cause," said Jeff Smith, vice chair at Manitoulin Group of Companies.

Sandy Donald, director of Ontario Wildlife Rescue, told CTV News the staff at Manitoulin Transport is absolutely ecstatic to be helping wildlife; we see it on their faces every time they make a delivery.

Much of the donated dog food that Manitoulin Transport delivers goes to the ‘Bear With Us’ rescue centre in the Huntsville area.

Donald said "hungry as a bear" is a true saying as that rescue centre went through more than 40 tonnes of food in 2021.

Manitoulin Transport’s Ottawa terminal also gave the ‘Ottawa Wild Bird Care’ rescue centre a $2,500 cheque donation during their recent delivery.

Ontario Wildlife Rescue said Manitoulin Transport’s support has made a significant difference to the number of injured and orphaned wild animals that have been saved.

More information on how to support Ontario Wildlife Rescue can be found on their website.