PRWeb: Los Angeles County to allow licensed wildlife rehabilitation Today the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles approved an amendment to Planning and Zoning which would allow for the licensed rehabilitation of small wild animals in the County. Currently the California Department of Fish & Game permits licensed wildlife rehabilitators to treat ill, injured and orphaned wildlife for release back to the wild. Their permits are only valid if their work does not conflict with any other regulations or ordinances. Mary Cummins President of Animal Advocates had been working on this amendment for over two years with Alyson Stewart and Leonard Erlanger of the Department of Regional Planning. "I am very grateful that the County of Los Angeles will now allow the licensed rehabilitation of small wild animals," stated Cummins. "This will allow us to have rehabbers in the County where they are so desperately needed." Wildlife rehabilitators provide an essential service to the public and wildlife. Without rehabbers sometimes well meaning members of the public try to care for the animals themselves which can pose a danger to the person and animal. It is actually illegal for anyone to keep a wild animal over 48 hours without a permit. Rehabbers also pick up wildlife from local animal shelters besides providing public education about wildlife and humane wildlife control. Currently Animal Advocates rehabilitates small wildlife such as bobcats, raccoons, skunks, opossums, squirrels and chipmunks rehabbing over 1,300 wild animals in 2005. In 2004 over 80,000 wild animals were rescued in California by state wildlife rehabilitators. Wildlife rehabilitators provide this service free of charge and most are 501 3c corporations such as Animal Advocates. Mary Cummins Animal Advocates (323) 651-1336 www.AnimalAdvocates.us Mary@AnimalAdvocates.us