Ogden wildlife rehabilitaton center facing difficulties in reopening

OGDEN — The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah is struggling to reopen, months after having to move out of its longtime home.

Originally, the plan was for the center to be opened by the spring. However, they still don’t have a reopening date. And that means, the center is having to turn people away who are finding animals that need help.

“We’ve got all the esthetics pretty much done,” said Buz Marthaler, co-founder of the Wildlife Rehabiliation Center of Northern Utah.

Marthaler said various building and fire code requirements are holding up their reopening, such as having to go back to the city of Ogden over parking space requirements and trying to avoid having to remove their outdoor enclosures to keep up with them.

“It cripples us if we don’t have that because this is for raptors,” Marthaler said. “You got to have something where you can take them out here and get them ready.”

No new animals

Meanwhile, Marthaler said it’s hard having to tell people they can’t take in any new animals.

“It’s emotionally tough,” he said. “Because we know what’s going on out there and we’re seeing it. People are trying to contact us.”

Despite all the difficulties, however, there is one ray of hope for the future.

Thanks to donors, the center recently bought a piece of land in Harrisville, which will be the eventual site of a permanent home for the center.

“I want to call it a dream come true,” Marthaler said. “But it’s not there yet. You know what? We’re still here, and it tastes really good.”

And to move forward with that dream, Marthaler said they are looking for an architect to draw up some plans and ultimately could need about a $2 million to build it.