Byron Bay Wildlife Hosptial

The Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital (BBWH) is the north coast's first and only all-species wildlife hospital. Conceived and launched by vets Dr Stephen Van Mil and Dr Evan Kosack, the BBWH provides dedicated, expert veterinarian services to wildlife, free of charge.

The BBWH operates from within a full-sized custom-built semi-trailer, affectionately known as Matilda. She can be transported to the scene of a natural disaster such as a bushfire, flood, mass stranding or oil spill affecting wildlife on a larger scale. Members of the public and license wildlife carers can bring injured, sick and orphaned animals in their care to BBWH for treatment and care.

BBWH mission is to conserve, protect and ensure positive welfare outcomes for Australian wildlife through treatment, rehabilitation, research and education.

Since 2020, BBWH has treated over 8,000 wildlife patients with birds making up over 60% of their admissions. The top reasons for wildlife admissions are vehicle strikes, attacks from domestic animals and disease.

The wildlife sector comprises veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, and the interested general public. All these groups donate time and resources to care for wildlife, including during natural disasters. All these groups do so at their own expense, and often endure great emotional stress and trauma in doing this essential work.

Australian state and territory governments are legally responsible for the protection of native animals. The government makes laws requiring members of the public to take injured native animals they encounter to the nearest vet or wildlife rescuer. They also make laws that require professional vets to treat native animals presented to their clinic or hospital.

The government does not pay for these services.

It costs Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital an average of $555 per wildlife patient for an initial consult, anaesthesia, X-rays, pain relief, fluid therapy and hospitalisation. This does not include the cost of medicines or surgery.

With the upcoming election, contact your local federal member to act on the urgent critical need and ethical imperative to fund the veterinarians, nurses, carers and volunteers the government relies heavily on to relieve suffering and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned native animals to be secure in the wild.

BBWH is a registered charity and a not-for profit company and relies heavily on sponsorship and donations. If you would like to help, please visit their website at https://www.byronbaywildlifehospital.org/