January 1, 2026

Dear WPVH Family,

For decades, Winter Park Veterinary Hospital has proudly provided direct medical care to wildlife in our local community, with the invaluable support of our long-standing wildlife partner, Mary Jane from The Haven for Injured and Orphaned Wildlife. After many years of dedicated service, Mary Jane retired on January 1, 2026. We are deeply grateful for her commitment and the lasting impact she has made on wildlife and our community.

With the retirement of our local rehabilitation partner, we have taken time to thoughtfully reevaluate how we can best serve and protect our friends in the wild. After careful discussion and consideration of what is truly best for the animals we all care about, we have decided to pivot our approach.

Moving forward, we will support wildlife in a new and more effective capacity by increasing our support for established local wildlife rehabilitators who specialize in returning animals safely to the wild. By eliminating Winter Park Veterinary Hospital as the “middleman,” animals can be connected directly with rehabilitators – resulting in:

• Reduced stress for the animal
• Faster diagnosis and treatment
• A greater likelihood of survival and successful release

While we will no longer be directly admitting wildlife, our commitment to local wildlife remains strong. We will continue to support rehabilitators through financial contributions, medical guidance, and veterinary care when requested by licensed rehabilitators.

As a result, effective January 1, 2026, Winter Park Veterinary Hospital will no longer be accepting wildlife patients.

Thank you for your continued compassion, understanding, and dedication to animal welfare.

Sincerely,

William J. Hess
Hospital Manager
Winter Park Veterinary Hospital