Giving a calendar as a gift could keep a critter alive.
The annual Christmas Shopping Spree for the Critter Care Wildlife Society runs daily until Dec. 18 and is a fundraiser for the non-profit organization based on South Langley.
The society relies on public support to be able to do its wildlife rehabilitation work. The facility routinely takes in more than 1,700 wild animals annually. President Maureen Binnie said this year that total will be more than 2,000 animals as it’s been busy.
“We have 26 bear cubs in care as of today [Dec. 11],” she noted.
The society is having to build more bear enclosures to accommodate the babies who are emaciated from lack of food in their habitats. Hunger is preventing them from hibernating.
The Christmas Shopping Spree will allow people to pick up gifts at the same time as helping wild critters survive.
“We just got some beautiful ceramic coasters,” Binnie noted.
There’s also hoodies and other clothing, calendars, water bottles, travel bottles, and cards for Christmas, birthdays and general use.
“Everything is with our animals on it,” she added.
People can visit the gift shop to pick up unique items at 481 216th St. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily until Dec. 18. While there, ask about how to sponsor an animal or go online to find out more about the society.
And people can cue up the gift recipient to accompany them to the Critter Care open house in July. On one weekend during the year, the wildlife sanctuary allows the public to tour through and see its work.
Typically the facility is filled with animals in need of care, offering the public a rare chance to see some of these critters up close.