Wildlife Hospital booming

A VICTIM of its own success, the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital is asking the Dunedin City Council to help it keep up with the overwhelming demand for its services.

Wildlife hospital cochairmen Andy Cunningham and Steve Walker told councillors at the 10year plan hearings yesterday, that since it opened in January the hospital had more than 158 admissions, which was 160% more than forecast.

‘‘In a way we’re a victim of our own success and we would like the Dunedin City Council to help us build on that success.’’

They provided the council with two potential options for funding.

The first option would be for the council to fund one fulltime veterinary nurse at a cost of $56,925 per year for three years, which would allow the hospital to seek more sustainable funding while still meeting the current level of species protection.

The second more substantial investment would see the council also give the hospital about $200,000 over three years to cover its consumable budget as well as fund the fulltime veterinary nurse.

Mr Cunningham said the Dunedin wildlife hospital would soon become the benchmark in New Zealand and would attract further research and students to the city.

If it chose one of those options the council would ensure the hospital could continue to grow and attract investment and skills into the city, while the financial side was made sustainable, he said.

Cr Lee Vandervis asked if any consideration had been given to developing windows of some sort which allowed people to look inside the hospital, creating a tourist attraction.

Mr Cunningham said a similar idea was being investigated and a soundproof viewing area was being developed but was still about three years away.

It would have to fit in with Otago Polytechnic’s plan but he was confident it could be turned into a ‘‘microtourism’’ business.