The path to completing the PAWS Wildlife Center

With the Wildlife Hospital and outdoor recovery habitats fully constructed, the Wildlife Center is nearing completion. Construction of the remaining components of the new campus – the Wildlife Care Unit and the Outdoor Aquatics Complex – is underway.

The Care Unit is an indoor space connected to the hospital which houses important indoor rehabilitation spaces, including the baby bird nursery, indoor aquatic areas, a disaster response washroom, and special care wards for sensitive and vulnerable patients. Comparable spaces at the existing Lynnwood facility are much smaller and are not co-located, requiring staff and volunteers to spend significant time moving between spaces to complete tasks.

The Aquatics Complex will feature three in-ground pools and several above-ground pools connected to an efficient central water circulation and filtration system. The aging plumbing system currently in use at the Lynnwood wildlife facility cannot adequately support current water needs, and the process of cleaning and maintaining the pools is labor-intensive and costly. This new complex will better meet the needs of the animals, significantly reduce PAWS’ water usage by recycling water, and will be easier to maintain.

The Care Unit and Aquatics Complex are vital to the everyday operation of the PAWS Wildlife Center, and we cannot move into the new facility until construction of these areas is complete. PAWS anticipates moving into the new campus in time to be fully operational for the busy spring baby season in 2024.