About Us

Lucky Rehabilitation Center (LRC) is a small, 501c3, donor funded organization in Spencertown, NY dedicated to the care, rehabilitation and release of injured, orphaned or sick wildlife.

 

Up until 2020, the wildlife rehabilitation need within the community was covered by the Ghent Wildlife Center -- an organization run for several decades by local Ghent resident, Jane Beaven.  In our respective teen years, both Maria and Sue Geel volunteered at this center.  We learned the skills necessary to become licensed wildlife rehabilitators in our own right as we continued to work for Jane on a volunteer basis. Unfortunately, the center closed its doors at the end of 2020.  Our community was left without a wildlife care resource.

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In order to fulfill the community's need, LRC tentatively opened its very small doors in the spring of 2021.  In the short time since, there have been more than 1000 animals which have come through those doors (our success rate with these animals is at 73%.  The state average is 39%).  Admittedly, this volume of animals caught us off-guard.  Word-of-mouth animal referrals to LRC came from veterinary practices in the area, the humane societies, the game wardens, DEC officers, law enforcement, etc.  The need for this type of organization within our community became quickly and abundantly clear.  As did the need for a larger facility!

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LRC has expanded its entire operation into a barn on the property for the 2023 season and beyond.  This larger facility enables us to provide better care to even more animals and provides us with the necessary features to obtain educational licenses through NYSDEC.  It is our intention to provide scheduled tours, volunteer opportunities and educational experiences to the community.  We firmly believe that an included and educated community is key to our success, and therefore a benefit to our surrounding ecosystem.