Marisa demar
CNI Newspapers Inc.
OtterSpace Wildlife, a nonprofit rehabilitation center located in Hilliard, is adding a hundred new foxes to its sanctuary, making it the largest fox rescue location in the country.
OtterSpace is owned and operated by Jonathon Howard, which he created in spring 2014. It is now home to more than 100 injured animals collected throughout the years, including numerous goats, foxes, deer, hogs, raccoons, bobcats, emus and three otters known as Misdemeanor, Felony and Gangsta. Howard explained why he is devoted to the neglected animals.
“We are land for misfit toys,” he said. “We take the animals that no one wants, the ones that cannot be put back into the wild.”
OtterSpace is committed to its mission of providing a permanent home for animals that can’t be returned to their natural habitats. The initiative started when a baby deer wandered into Howard’s yard, prompting him to reach out to a certified service to save it. That action laid the foundation for his passion for animal rescue and eventually led to Howard obtaining his own permit.
What makes OtterSpace unique compared to standard sanctuaries is the acceptance of any animal regardless of their circumstance. Information given on their website shares how many zoos and rehab facilities will not take animals that are impaired or come out of the wild for fear of spreading viruses and diseases to the existing animals.
OtterSpace has animals that are neurologically impaired or blind, and he is open to accepting all types of animals with any deformity.
The sanctuary works closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure animals are provided with adequate care. Any animal that is able to be released post-treatment is sent back to the wild, though most at the center are not in a state to do so. Multiple licensed rehabbers, a veterinarian and a commission officer determine each evaluation.
Along with its main mission, OtterSpace Wildlife hopes to use its nonprofit status to educate the public on local wildlife and to foster more compassion for animals. OtterSpace will soon be opening the doors to the public for tours of the center, and donations can be made at otterspacewildlife.com.