in Littleton has accused Colorado Parks and Wildlife of killing hundreds of animals after the agency yanked the rescue’s license.
The agency issued an administrative denial of renewal for the wildlife rehabilitation center’s license after finding 150 violations of state law at the wildlife hospital, said Jennifer Churchill, CPW spokeswoman.
“We didn’t kill hundreds. We definitely released a majority of animals. Four went to other rehabilitations and a few were euthanized,” Churchill said.
Violations included failing to release animals within a certain distance from the spot they were found, and keeping them too long after they had been rehabbed, Churchill said.
Kendall Seifert, Squirrel Creek’s executive director, called the alleged violations clerical errors.
“We work under a veterinarian and we have a big staff. (CPW) has been on our facility multiple times every year,” without issuing any violations, said Seifert, who has operated the rescue, where injured and sick animals were treated for four years.
CPW released many animals still suffering from their injuries, and pulled some from incubators that were unable to survive in the wild, he said. “They need attention, they need 24-hour care. They are not able to live on their own. It is a death penalty.”
During the removal on March 16, snares were used to control raccoons, and once snared, CPW employees threw them to the ground, and shoved them into containers, Seifert said.
“Moving animals with snares is not a pretty thing, certainly the animals were going through a little discomfort while we snared them,” Churchill said.
But a wildlife veterinarian was on the scene, and the removal was humane, Churchill said.
CPW is still investigating Squirrel Creek, Churchill said.
Seifert, who plans to appeal the license denial, said he believes he was targeted because, “I own a as well, and they don’t like that. They’re completely separate businesses, one doesn’t have anything to do with the other.”
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or @dpmcghee
