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Wildlife Rehabilitation
Today |
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The international magazine Wildlife Rehabilitation Today was founded in 1989 by Dan Mackey, a publisher and public relations consultant. He edits and publishes this unique publication through Coconut Creek Publishing Company in Pompano Beach, which also publishes exerpts from it electronically at www.wildliferehabtoday.com. Wildlife Rehabilitation Today is the only magazine in the world devoted to people who care about, and for wildlife. Distributed primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also overseas -- its goal is to inform and entertain, motivating rehabilitators and the field itself to achieve more the for the animals in their care through shared experiences and techniques. It also aims to increase the public visibility of wildlife rehabilitation in general. Colorful and attractively designed, "WRT" as it is affectionately called, provides a balance of important practical and technical information through concise articles written mostly in layman's terms. In every edition there are feature articles on individual species' care and natural history, Book Reviews, New Products On The Market, Bulletin Board upcoming events, advertisements for hard-to-find products, Rehabilitator Anecdotes, Ask The DVM and much more. WRT Resources is a complete catalog within the magazine of selected books and products for rehabilitators that can be purchased directly from the magazine or online though the web site. Nearly every U.S. facility with captive wild animals subscribes, including wildlife rehab centers, zoos, museums, aquaria, nature centers, animal control, and humane society shelters. Individually-licensed wildlife rehabilitators (so- called "backyard rehabbers") and veterinarians comprise the second largest group of subscribers. Veterinary technicians, environmental activitists, the general public, environmental educators, animal health technicians and rehab facility volunteers, fish and game departments, veterinary school libraries, and major wildlife/environmental conservation and advocacy group round out the reader categories.
Prior to establishing Coconut Creek Publishing Co., Mackey had been an environmental/wildlife journalist, an editor and publisher of two trade and association magazines, and a PR executive with two large South Florida public relations firms. Involved in rehabilitation for almost 25 years, in the late 1970s he served as a hospital volunteer and ultimately vice president of the Wildlife Care Center board of directors in Fort Lauderdale. For more than a decade he has served on the advisory board to the Florida Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (FWRA) and attended the first informal meeting, in Clearwater, where the idea of a professional association for rehabilitators was advanced. "At that time, I was assisting the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (in 1987 he was the first-ever recipient of the NWRA’s Board of Directors Award for his work as editor and publisher of their annual proceedings publication). Many of us had thought about the need for our own association, but Brian Mealey of the Miami Museum of Science organized us and got the ball rolling that day. It's been a very important and successful organization ever since," he noted. In 1999, the publisher received the Significant Achievement Award from the International Wildlife Rehabilitaion Council (IWRC). The Significant Achievement Award is given to individuals “in recognition of contributions to the field.” Wildlife Rehabilitation Today received a second award that year for its "continued support to the IWRC and the field of wildlife rehabilitation.” Although he's traveled all over the U.S. to attend symposiums and write articles about rehab facilities, Mackey says his "heart for wildlife rehab" remains in Florida, where his interest first began. He has served for about five years on the board of the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital, (formerly Coral Springs Nature Center) in Coral Springs, close by his home in Coconut Creek. 
"I try not to make it obvious because we serve rehabilitators everywhere. But if you are a longtime subscriber to WRT you probably have noticed that Florida's wildlife and its rehabilitators have been prominently featured over the past 12 years," he said. " I'm proud to be associated with the Florida Widlife Rehabilitators Association and the people of the non-profit organizations it continues to represent so well on behalf of our beleaguered wildlife." A bi-annual subscription to Wildlife Rehabilitation Today is only $15. Single copies are $3.95 plus $1 postage/handling. To see a sample issue, please visit www.wildliferehabtoday.com |
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Indeed,
if you're into saving wildlife, this magazine is meant for you!