Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network

What Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network does

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (SBWCN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Goleta, California. It operates as the only general wildlife rehabilitation facility licensed to serve Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, providing rescue, veterinary treatment, and release services for injured, orphaned, and oil-impaired wild animals. The organization runs the Wendy McCaw Wildlife Hospital, a state-of-the-art facility opened in 2022 with on-site surgery, CT diagnostics, digital X-ray, specialized seabird pools, corvid aviaries, nurseries, and recovery enclosures. SBWCN treats over 4,000 patients annually across more than 270 native species, supported by a 365-day Wildlife HELPline and a network of 150-200 regular volunteers.

SBWCN's revenue model is donation- and membership-driven. Funding comes from one-time and recurring donations, a tiered membership program (Grasslands $10/month, Wetlands $25/month, Woodlands $125/month, Coast $5,000+/year), legacy giving through the Nest Builder Society, in-kind donations via Amazon Wishlist, and foundation sponsorships. Lead and Platinum sponsors include the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation, Ann Jackson Family Foundation, Manitou Fund, Patricia & Paul Bragg Foundation, and Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree. Operations are supported by an 11-50 person staff supplemented by seasonal interns and a large volunteer base, with technology integrations including QGiv for donations, EveryAction for donor CRM, Mailchimp for email, and an AI-powered Wildlife HelpBot built on chatbase.io for initial triage on the public website.

In 2025, SBWCN expanded its mission surface beyond direct animal care with two significant launches: WildWelcome.com, a digital education platform with species guides, learning center, and the Wild 5 Challenge (March 2025); and the IMAX documentary 'Wild Rescue: A Second Chance at a Wild Life' distributed worldwide by Cosmic Pictures (Summer 2025). Strategic partnerships include the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (operating a dedicated Bird Response Room), Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) for marine mammal referrals, and filmmaker Ian Shive for the documentary. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors led by Executive Director Ariana Katovich.

Name

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network

Legal name

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network

Website

https://sbwcn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SBWCN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization serving Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Since 1988, it has operated the Wendy McCaw Wildlife Hospital, treating 4,000+ injured and orphaned wild animals annually across 270+ species through rescue, veterinary care, and public education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Emergency Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Oiled Wildlife Response (EUAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Wildlife rescue operations
• Wildlife hospital care
• Wildlife emergency helpline
• Wildlife conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Goleta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. The organization runs specific fund drives such as Baby Season Fund Drive.
2. Membership Program: Monthly and annual membership tiers (Grasslands, Wetlands, Woodlands, Coast) providing ongoing support with various perks including behind-the-scenes tours, early merchandise access, and member events.
3. Legacy Giving / Planned Gifts: Bequests, gifts of stock, beneficiary designations, and charitable trusts as part of the Nest Builder Society planned giving program.
4. Amazon Wishlist: In-kind donations of supplies through Amazon wishlist for wildlife care necessities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (SBWCN) operates the Wendy McCaw Wildlife Hospital in Goleta, CA, providing rescue, rehabilitation, and release services for injured, orphaned, and oil-impaired wildlife. The organization treats over 4,000 animals annually across more than 270 native species, supported by a 24/7 Wildlife HELPline and a network of 150-200 volunteers serving Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

Product overview

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network operates as a nonprofit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization with a unified service model centered on the Wendy McCaw Wildlife Hospital and Wildlife HELPline as core offerings. The organization provides emergency wildlife rescue services, medical treatment, and rehabilitation for over 4,000 animals annually across 270+ species. Supporting the core hospital and hotline are educational initiatives including WildWelcome.com (a digital education platform), the Wild 5 Challenge, and the Wild Rescue IMAX documentary. Additional services include membership programs, legacy giving through the Nest Builder Society, and seasonal wildlife rehabilitation internships. The Wildlife HelpBot provides AI-powered initial triage assistance for wildlife emergencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WildWelcome: An educational hub that empowers communities to live in harmony with wild animals who share neighborhoods, coastlines, and backyards. Features species guides, learning center, and community tools.

Products and services

• Wendy McCaw Wildlife Hospital A state-of-the-art wildlife hospital in Goleta, CA providing rescue, rehabilitation, and release services for injured, orphaned, and oil-impaired wildlife. Treats over 4,000 animals annually across more than 270 native species, open 365 days a year.
• Wildlife HELPline A 24/7 emergency helpline at (805) 681-1080 operating 7 days a week, 365 days a year, connecting the public with trained wildlife responders who assess situations, provide guidance, and coordinate rescues.
• WildWelcome.com An educational digital platform empowering individuals and communities to understand and coexist with wildlife through species guides, learning resources, and community tools.
• Wild 5 Challenge An education initiative under WildWelcome.com focused on teaching communities about wildlife conservation and coexistence through five actionable practices.
• Wild Rescue Documentary (IMAX) An IMAX documentary film showcasing SBWCN's wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work, released in Digital 2D and 3D formats and distributed worldwide by Cosmic Pictures.
• Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships

Quantifiable outcome

• Treats over 4,000 animals annually across 270+ native species
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered platinum sponsor and core.

• Oiled Wildlife Care Networkplatinum sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum sponsor and partner for specialized oiled wildlife response capabilities. Operates a dedicated Bird Response Room at SBWCN.
• Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for marine mammal rescues. CIMWI handles marine mammal emergencies while SBWCN handles terrestrial wildlife.
• Ian Shive (Filmmaker)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning filmmaker partnered with SBWCN for IMAX documentary 'Wild Rescue: A Second Chance at a Wild Life' showcasing wildlife rehabilitation work.
• Cosmic PicturescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired worldwide distribution rights for the 'Wild Rescue' IMAX documentary.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SBWCNHeronLogo
• Xx.com/SBWildlifeCare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbwcn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network