Rancho Simi Duck Park Waterfowl

HELP MAKE “WENDY’S LAW “ A REALITY

Wildlife Care of Southern California has submitted a formal petition to the California Fish and Game Commission requesting a change to California’s wildlife rehabilitation regulations.

The petition requests amendments to Title 14, sections 679.2 and 679.3. The petition asks the commission to establish a carefully regulated process allowing qualified wildlife rehabilitation permit holders - with appropriate training, equipment, and veterinary support- to use humane live-capture equipment for specifically identified injured or diseased wildlife.

We are calling this campaign “Wendy's Law” in her honor. It is not yet an enacted law or regulation. It is our effort to ensure that the next injured wild animal - and the next concerned community - has a lawful path to qualified help.

WE NOW NEED THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE ITS VOICE HEARD.

Please e-mail your letter to:
California Fish and
Game Commission
[email protected]
Comments on proposed regulations: [email protected] (include the subject of the regulations in the email subject line)
Subject line:
Humane live trapping of injured or diseased wildlife by
qualified rehabilitation permittees.

Please reference:
PETITION Submitted September 14, 2026, by Wildlife Care of Southern California
Proposed amendments to Title 14,
sections 679.2 and 679.3

Please explain why this change matters to you, what you witnessed during Wendy's year in Studio City, or how her story affected you - and why qualified rehabilitators should be provided a lawful means to intervene before an animal's
condition becomes irreversible.

Wendy cannot be brought back, but her experience can create meaningful change for California’s wildlife. Together we can make sure she did not suffer and die in vain.

Wildlife Care of Southern California had the experience, equipment, veterinary support, and rehabilitation facility necessary to care for Wendy.
However, as a state-permitted wildlife rehabilitation organization, we are legally bound by our permit conditions.
Under California’s current regulations, wildlife rehabilitation facilities are not authorized to use humane live traps to bring in injured or diseased wildlife into our care.

This is a statewide problem, not one limited to Wendy or Studio City. When an injured animal remains mobile, no qualified public agency is available or equipped to capture it.

The result is a dangerous gap:
The rehabilitators prepared to treat the animal are not authorized to trap it, while no authorized agency is available to bring it to them.
When Wendy finally came into our care, her veterinary examination revealed that over time the infection had caused catastrophic and irreversible destruction of her jaw, sinuses, and the delicate bones behind them that protect the brain and the eyes; there was also damage present in her left ear and surrounding structures.

For approximately one year, the Studio City community watched over Wendy, provided her with food and water, and repeatedly reached out for help. Their compassion sustained her, and their determination brought attention to a serious problem in California’s regulations.

Petition Submitted
"SECTION I: Required Information.
Please be succinct. Responses for Section I should not exceed five pages
1. Person or organization requesting the change (Required)
Name of primary contact person: Anna Reams, Wildlife Care of Southern California. Address:
Telephone number:
Email address: [email protected]
2. Rulemaking Authority (Required) - Reference to the statutory or constitutional authority of the Commission to take the action requested: The California Fish and Game Commission has the authority to adopt and amend regulations governing the taking, capture, possession, transportation, and rehabilitation of wildlife pursuant to California Fish and Game Code sections 200, 1050, 2000, 2120, 2121, 2150.4, 3005.5, 3800.4150, and 4180. This petition specifically requests amendment of sections 679.2 and 679.3 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations to authorize qualified wildlife rehabilitation permittees, subject to Department-approved training, permit conditions, and humane capture requirements, to capture injured ,diseased, or debilitated wildlife for rehabilitation.
3. Overview (Required) - Summarize the proposed changes to regulations: Amend Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations to establish a clear permitting process authorizing qualified rehabilitation permittees to humanely capture injured, diseased, or debilitated wildlife for transport to an authorized rehabilitation facility. Authorization would be limited to permittees with appropriate species-specific experience, approved training, suitable equipment, and compliance with Department-established reporting, safety, and animal-welfare requirements. The amendment should also allow the Department to provide case-specific authorization when necessary.
4. Rationale (Required) - Describe the problem and the reason for the proposed change:
Current regulations do not provide a clear, consistent process for qualified wildlife rehabilitation permittees to capture injured, diseased, or debilitated wildlife in the field. This regulatory gap can cause dangerous delays while an animal's condition worsens, even when an experienced rehabilitator has the equipment, training, support, and facility necessary to provide care. This is also a significant public-safety concern. Injured or severely ill wildlife may behave unpredictably, enter residential areas, approach feeding locations, encounter children or domestic animals, create traffic hazards, or expose members of the public to bites, scratches, or zoonotic disease. When no qualified agency response is available, concerned residents may attempt to capture or assist the animal themselves, placing both people and animal at greater risk. Intervention by trained and authorized rehabilitators would reduce these dangers. Wendy, an injured Studio City coyote whose severe facial condition was known to the community for about 1 year, demonstrated the need for this change; during that time, the community sustained her by setting up feeding and water stations. Wildlife Care of Southern California had the experience and the resources to help but understood that our rehabilitation permit did not authorize capture. Despite repeated community efforts to obtain assistance, no timely and workable agency response was provided. By the time Wendy was finally captured through other lawful assistance, infection had destroyed much of her jaw, and humane euthanasia was necessary. Earlier intervention might have produced a different outcome, at minimum preventing prolonged suffering and reducing the risks created by having a severely compromised coyote living in a community and visiting backyards daily for food.
Wildlife rehabilitators routinely assess, handle, stabilize, transport, and treat injured wildlife and often possess qualifications equal to or greater than those required for commercial costly wildlife trapping. Establishing a controlled authorization process- with species-specific qualifications, humane-capture standards, reporting requirements, veterinary oversight, and Department supervision-would protect animal welfare and public safety while ensuring that injured wildlife can receive timely care."

Hi Waterfowl Friends - we often get messages about some Canada geese who look like they have broken wings. Their wing obviously has had an injury to it, but most of them are healthy and will spend their days living at the pond since they most likely cannot fly. They have a permanent disability but they are living their best life. The volunteers always keep tabs on the "special needs" kids to make sure there is nothing more going on.

However, if you do see a Canada goose or wild duck with an obvious injury that is suffering &/or has significant injuries, please contact one of the local wildlife organizations (list is pinned at the top of our page) as they are authorized to treat wild waterfowl. California Wildlife Center in Calabasas has taken in several injured geese from the pond.

Thanks for caring enough to reach out.

FYI- this particular one we call Wonky. She often gets tangled up in fishing line too. The volunteers keep close eye on this one.

Free spay and neuter in Ventura County info.

**We apologize for the inconvenience. The email address should be working now: [email protected]. If your email bounced back earlier today, please resend it. Thank you**
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We are thrilled to announce that the VCAS Foundation will be sponsoring more low cost spay & neuter surgeries in partnership with the SNIP bus team! ⁠
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These appointments will be for the end of September, exact dates TBD based on demand. Services will be performed in Camarillo and available to residents of our contracted cities (Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme, Fillmore, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Ojai, unincorporated Ventura County) and their pets 7 years of age and younger. ⁠
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To sign up for this event, please email [email protected] with the following information:⁠
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Your full name⁠
Reliable phone number (REQUIRED to schedule appointment)⁠
Address⁠
Pet/pets details: Dog or cat, s*x of pet, age, breed and size⁠
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Registration will close on September 12 or when spots fill, whichever is first. ⁠
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Interested parties should not expect an immediate response, but will be contacted by SNIP via phone after registration closes. A $20 non refundable deposit will be collected at the time of setting up an appointment, and is the only cost associated with the service. ⁠
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Ultimately, the goal of Ventura County Animal Services is that ongoing, concentrated efforts to provide accessible Spay & Neuter services will significantly decrease Ventura County’s pet overpopulation crisis over time.⁠
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Please feel free to share this opportunity with anyone who may be in need! ⁠
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The Animal Services Foundation is sponsoring this event using your donations - THANK YOU! We are very grateful for the ongoing support from our community.

There’s always posts asking about free or low cost vaccines for pets. Tomorrow, VCAS Simi Valley location! Please share on your community pages and/or post to people who have inquired.

Our Pets For Life team has been canvassing in Simi Valley spreading the word about tomorrow's vaccine clinic, but asked us to share on social media as well. There will be shade available!

Those with pets especially susceptible to heat related stress may wish to attend with a friend or family member who can wait with your pet in an air-conditioned vehicle if possible.

UPDATE The ducklings have been rehomed! Thanks to everyone who reached out! It takes a village!! 💜🙏🏼

P.S.
Note there is a comment from someone else who adopted 3 ducks from a rescue and they are in need of a home. Please feel free to reach out if you can help.

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Hi local waterfowl friends! You have all been so wonderful at stepping up helping ducks find new homes, so here is another opportunity.

These sweet Khaki ducklings were gifted to this person's son a few weeks ago for his birthday, but as we know ducks grow fast and get big, loud and messy so they are not in a position to keep them at their home. We need to find someone with some knowledge of ducks and their needs, i.e. proper food, shelter, a water source for drinking, swimming and bathing. If you are local to Simi Valley, and interested in giving these sweet babies a forever home, please DM this page and I will connect you with the owner.

Thanks so much!!

Fly high beautiful Jackie! 🦅💜🙏🏼. May your flight on your next journey take you to beautiful places and may you continue to inspire us in so many new ways. Love and light sweet girl! Your legacy will live on. Be with Sandy now as you two look over Shadow and all the eaglets. Peace be yours. 💜🙏🏼🕯️✨🪬✨

Patient Update: Bald Eagle 26-519

It is with profound sadness that we share that Patient 26-519 passed away in the early hours of this morning, following more than three weeks of intensive medical care.

Over the past several days, her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of our veterinary team and consulting specialists. She remained critically ill, receiving oxygen therapy, supportive treatment, and around-the-clock monitoring in our intensive care unit.

Throughout her time at Ojai Raptor Center, every decision was guided by the available medical evidence, her welfare, and our responsibility to do what was in her best interest.

Her remains have been transferred into the care of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

We know this news will be deeply felt by the many thousands of people around the world who have followed her journey, hoped alongside us, prayed for her, and supported the people caring for her.

Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.

We ask for patience and kindness as our staff process this loss. We are working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and will provide a more comprehensive statement including additional information on her treatments and test results.

To protect our staff and community during this difficult time, comments on this post have been turned off.

To everyone who cared about Patient 26-519, thank you. Thank you for your messages, your prayers, your encouragement, and for standing beside our team throughout these past weeks. We are deeply grateful for the way Patient 26-519 brought people together through a shared love of wildlife.

Sandy is a beautiful domestic duck who was dumped in Camarillo. A Good Samaritan reached out to help find her a home and she landed with the Gentle Roots Farm where as you know the blue runner duck (Periwinkle) landed. Lucky ducks!!! Thank you Gentle Roots Farm!!!

Meet Sandy.
Sandy is another abandoned domestic duck that needed a home. We have enjoyed getting to know her. So far we noticed she loves the water and naps on our lap. She's very social and sweet.
Welcome Sandy to your new home.

Fun fact: a group of ducks is called a team!