After three years of fundraising and two years of construction, WildCare is set to reopen its renovated wildlife hospital and education center at 76 Albert Park Lane in San Rafael on Nov. 14. The nonprofit has treated about 3,500 animals a year for 17 years and has operated out of a temporary site near North San Pedro Road while crews rebuilt its longtime home from the ground up.
The $24 million project was entirely privately funded, with a $2 million matching fund, according to the Marin Independent Journal.
WildCare moved its operations to an interim location at 37 Schmidt Lane in October 2024, and crews broke ground on the new facility at 76 Albert Park Lane in May 2025, according to WildCare's capital campaign page. The organization had projected the opening for fall 2026 and said construction remained on track for completion by that timeframe. The rebuilt complex will cover 11,400 square feet and include a three-story hospital with 40 rooms and rooftop space for birdcages, according to a February report from the Marin Independent Journal.
A Hospital Built for Specialized Care
The new animal hospital includes individual rooms for procedures like surgery and radiology, separate spaces to keep predators away from prey, and quarantine rooms for birds carrying diseases such as avian flu, the Marin Independent Journal reported in February. The former facility had limited medical areas.
The Marin Independent Journal reported in February that rooftop solar panels will generate power for the complex and are expected to save an estimated $1 million in energy costs over 25 years, an estimate attributed to Ellyn Weisel. The hospital's energy system is also designed to provide eight hours of backup power during an outage.
Quirky Details Reflect the Work Inside
Beyond the hospital wing, the complex includes a new raptor aviary, solar panels and an Ambassador Courtyard with enclosures. Laundry machines are also part of the complex. WildCare will continue using its temporary North San Pedro Road site to house treated animals until they are ready for release, the Marin Independent Journal reported in February.
One of the complex's longtime residents is Sequoia, a northern spotted owl who has served as a WildCare ambassador for 20 years. After the ribbon-cutting, the center is expected to welcome back 35 employees and 150 volunteers, with the clinic set to begin accepting animal patients on Dec. 14.
A Historic Building Finds New Life
The education center is housed in a preserved 147-year-old parish hall, built in 1879 for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in San Rafael, according to WildCare's account of the building's history. The structure was originally built from a ship's hull and has been moved several times on site over the years to make room for the new hospital. WildCare's education programs have used the refurbished building since the 1950s.
The San Rafael Planning Commission approved the renovation proposal in a 4-0 vote in 2023.
