The Toronto Wildlife Centre is coming to Meaford.
Executive Director Nathalie Karvonen says the Zaputovich family has donated a parcel of land to the organization.
The 82 acres are right on Georgian Bay, with Highway 26 bordering the property on the south.
Karvonen says while planning is still in the very early stages, they envision using the land as a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
She says they would need to build large, long-term enclosures that animals could be sent to after receiving treatment at their facilities in Toronto.
Karvonen says questions from the local community have come in about types of animals, if all this wildlife will be released into the Meaford area, and smells and noise.
But she explains they will only be taking care of native wildlife – not tigers and lions – and adds by law the animals have to be released where they came from.
Karvonen also says animals in rehabilitation are typically quite quiet and if they are being taken care of properly they do not smell.
Karvonen says the land also boasts many natural features that will be great for an education centre in the future, where they can run school programs and kids camps.
She says their long term goal is to have a stand alone Meaford Wildlife Centre where they can offer all the services they already do in Toronto.
The Toronto Wildlife Centre is currently the only wildlife centre in Canada with highly trained veterinarians on staff and with a dedicated wildlife rescue program.
The centre admits 5-thousand sick, injured, and wild animals every year and also operates a wildlife hotline that handles more than 30-thousand calls from the public about every wildlife situation imaginable.
Karvonen says they hope to start work on the Meaford property next spring.