PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — It's quoted to cost between $275,000 and $300,000 to repair the Peace River Wildlife Center and Hospital after the damage sustained from Hurricane Milton. Executive director Tricia LaPointe says many of the buildings on their property are a total loss.
"We had some damage from Helene, but the majority of the worst damage was from Milton," she said.
The waterline Milton left behind is about about 3 1/2 feet high.
The center evacuated all of the animals. Some went home with staff and others were placed with similar facilities. Peace River Wildlife Center houses animals that cannot be released back into the wild. It's hospital, a separate building, is where they tend to animals who could have that chance.
"This [the Wildlife Center] is the money generator for what we do there [at the hospital]. So we need the income stream from opening the education center here, especially during season. That’s when we make the majority of our money for the entire year and be able to fund what we do at the hospital," LaPointe said.
She says the center needs funding to continue it's mission.
