Funding for wildlife rescuers

Wildlife Rescue Queensland (WRQ) will receive $160,000 over the next two years from Moreton Bay Regional Council to bolster its operations.

Mayor Peter Flannery says WRQ is one of the most invaluable not-for-profit organisations in the region, delivering a service that simply could not be delivered by “any Government or private firm”.

“We are forever in debt to these incredible volunteers for their time and service providing emergency care for local wildlife, so really this $160,000 grant is a small way we can help those heroes who help our wildlife in a crisis,” Mayor Flannery says.

“WRQ provides a vital local service responding to urgent calls for assistance on their 24/7 hotline, deploying a specialist Trauma Team and facilitating the transportation of orphaned or injured animals to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, RSPCA, and various vet clinics.

“Historically WRQ has been entirely self-funded and reliant on donations to continue its operation, I’m amazed this is the first time the organisation has made a request for operational funding support from Council and I’m thrilled that application received unanimous support today.”

Calls to do more

Mayor Flannery says WRQ has joined Council’s calls for government funding to build a wildlife hospital in the region.

It would end the need for WRQ’s first responders to travel to Wacol or Beerwah to access emergency wildlife services.

“Our community has made it clear to us that they want to see an increase in environmental protection in the face of booming population growth and we take this responsibility seriously,” he says.

“In terms of wildlife emergency response and also in terms of protecting our environment from over-development.

“That’s why this Council has committed to a net zero emissions target across our operations by 2039.

“We have also pledged to keep 75 per cent of our region’s landmass as greenspace, to protect native habitat and provide homes for wildlife as our human population grows.

“That means we will contain the urban footprint of our city to just 25 per cent of Moreton Bay’s land area, which will mean more infill development rather than urban sprawl, but we believe it’s important to get this kind of planning right in the interests of our own sustainability.”