MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — After 40 years of rehabilitating injured or orphaned wildlife and educating the public, Kathy Uhler of the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center is retiring.
"I started wildlife rehabilitating after doing an internship when I was at ESU. It grew into Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and over the years, it grew to the point where we needed to move. I met my husband Eric, and we were granted this wonderful place in Cherry Valley by the Nature Conservancy," Uhler said.
While it wasn't an easy decision, Uhler and her husband believe It is time to pass the torch to someone else.
She has tons of memories, but her favorites are the ones where she's worked with animals.
"The really difficult cases," Uhler said. "The medical cases, the bear cubs that require so much in terms of expertise, and the really hardcore injury cases."
Ulher says the center and animals will still be here, but they won't be operating under the name Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center. She says the new directors are changing the name.
"Hopefully, there are two people that will be running it, and hopefully, they will do an exceptional job," Uhler said.
As for the future, Uhler hopes she will be able to stick around the center and continue wildlife rehab and education work — just not full-time.
"This appreciation that we like to instill in our visitors and the people who live here and our residents in northeastern Pennsylvania," Uhler said. "We hope that will continue. We don't want to stop doing that in any way, shape, or form, and we certainly appreciate the people in northeastern Pennsylvania who have supported us."
Uhler says that for the time being, the center is not accepting any injured wildlife.
Her last day is at the end of November.
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