Local animal rehabilitation center receives donations and awards

 

Animal Rescue Team Inc., the only local, state-certified wildlife rehabilitation center in the valley, is making leaps and bounds thanks to celebrity donations and prestigious awards.

Most recently, the Rescue Team has been named the recipient of this year’s Santa Barbara News-Press annual charity campaign — an award that could bring in thousands of dollars. And ART’s Executive Director Julia Di Sieno is slated to receive the News-Press Lifetime Achievement Award at a black-tie event at the Bacara Resort on Nov. 15.

Last year, the News-Press Christmas Fund raised about $80,000, which was split between the two chosen recipients; this year, ART will split the benefit with Alpha School in Santa Barbara.

 

Just as Di Sieno was saying she was worried that the economic recession would influence the dinner fundraiser, she received a phone call from Wendy McCaw and Arthur von Wiesenberger, owners/co-publishers of the Santa Barbara News-Press. They informed her ART was chosen as one of this year’s News-Press Christmas Fund recipients.

Di Sieno is certified to take care of 64 species — basically all animals, wild or domestic, in the valley, save mountain lions and bears. She currently is applying for lion and bear permits. Di Sieno recently moved to a property on Covered Wagon Road, behind El Rancho Market, so the new facility can accommodate more animals, and it offers the convenience of literally being in her backyard.

 

After eight years of maintaining and operating an animal rehabilitation facility, Di Sieno is excited about the upcoming funding events, which are sure to expand the organization’s efforts considerably. She prides herself on running the only rehabilitation center in the area operating with permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game.

ART’s mission statement is “to support and provide quality animal rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and release to all sick, injured, orphaned and displaced animals in accordance with current standards in the field.” Currently, the facility houses a range of animals from a sick baby mouse to a feisty bobcat.

 

ART is hosting a fundraiser dinner at Trattoria Grappolo Oct. 25, which will benefit the team. Di Sieno said she hopes the dinner will raise about $20,000, which, she says, will pay for medical supplies, fencing and improvements at the new facility.

Featured auction items at the dinner will include autographed pictures and posters donated by John Travolta and Andy Granatelli. Local movie star Noah Wylie also is rumored to make an appearance.

Even with all of her success, Di Sieno maintains that she could not have done it alone.

“Without all of your help, and believing in my efforts, this would not have been possible,” she said in an e-mail to the organization’s members and some of her friends. “Thank you all from the bottom of my heart; I have been crying all afternoon with joy.”

Di Sieno said ART also is working with the county to have people who are on probation for minor offenses sent to the rehabilitation center to complete community service and help with the work.

 

“It’s a win-win. Some people are lost and got in trouble, and I think I can help turn them around,” Di Sieno said.

She said the parolees would help with building, maintenance and feeding and cleaning the animals.

She thinks the responsibility will help the participants as much as the animals.

Improvements on the new facility are in the works and Di Sieno said she is looking forward to seeing it finished in the spring to accommodate the animals’ spring bounty — babies.

She said the money raised this year will help the facility meet the special housing requirements set by the state so ART can help more animals sooner.