Long-time volunteer Dave Scott was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of December.
With no family connections in the area, he moved in with friend and shelter co-owner Kirsty Ramadan while he undergoes treatment.
“It’s been a bit of a shock to the system for all of us,” Mr Scott said.
“I still have my good days, sometimes I can go out and do the easy rescues, but most of the time I’m pretty tired.”
Mr Scott has volunteered with the shelter for 14 years, and is valued for his capable “hands-on” work constructing most of the animal enclosures and aviaries.
Then, a week before Christmas, Ms Ramadan hit a kangaroo with her only vehicle.
“It couldn’t have come at a worse time,” she said.
Christmas and COVID-19-related delays mean the van won’t be up and running until the end of January.
The shelter receives little to no government funding to help cover operational costs, let alone unexpected ones, so volunteer Tanya Manotti started a GoFundMe page in an effort to help.
“It’s pretty desperate times out there at the moment,” Ms Manotti said.
“They get no funding, but it’s a service that locals want.”
Bohollow Wildlife Shelter Incorporated is made up of two shelters.
Ms Ramadan’s Bunbartha sanctuary specialises in birds, bats, reptiles and echidnas.
On any given day, her living room is filled with injured wildlife in need of round-the-clock care.
“Sometimes there’s so many animals in the house, it’s just constant feeding,” Ms Manotti said.
And now the three-bedroom house, which was already home to Ms Ramadan, her four children and her mother, is also home to Mr Scott.
“We’re pretty full up at the moment,” she said.
Despite the shelter’s status as a non-profit Victorian wildlife shelter registered with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Bohollow Wildlife Shelter Incorporated can only apply for a yearly government grant of a few thousand dollars to support its work.
For the rest of the funding for feed, rescue gear, enclosures and travel, the service relies on public donations to be able to continue to rescue native animals.
“At my shelter in Bunbartha, we spend around $40,000 a year,” Ms Ramadan said.
“Without donations, I would have to shut my doors.”
They’re hoping to raise $50,000 to cover the costs of a new rescue vehicle and a small granny flat on Ms Ramadan’s property to accommodate Mr Scott.
“We’re going through a rough patch at the moment, so we may not be as prompt,” Ms Ramadan said.
“We’re trying to keep the shelter as operational as we can.”
If a donation isn’t possible, Ms Ramadan said transporting injured wildlife to the shelter would help her and the volunteer team.
“A lot of my time is spent driving around and picking up animals that people can’t transport themselves,” she said.
“Any help with transport is really appreciated.”
Bohollow Wildlife Shelter Incorporated has been rescuing injured wildlife in the Shepparton area for almost 30 years.
To donate to Bohollow Wildlife Shelter, visit www.gofundme.com/wildlife-shelter-needs-us-now/
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