Construction Has Begun on Our Forever Home for Wildlife!
Thanks to the generosity of our community and the hard work of our team, Pacific Wildlife Care has broken ground on the Kim and Derrel Ridenour Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in San Luis Obispo. This 10-acre site will allow us to better serve our community’s wildlife.
But we’re not done yet. We still need your support to finish construction and open the doors to wildlife and the community.
Kim and Derrel Ridenour Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Project Features
Location
Northwest corner of Buckley Road and Esperanza Lane in San Luis Obispo
Phase I Features:
Main Building (7,750 SF)
- 1st floor – Reception, Intake and Animal Treatment
- 2nd Floor – Administrative/Staff office space and Staff/Volunteer common area
- Elevator and External Stairs
- Powered by Solar Energy
Exterior aviaries, accessed from the Baby Bird Room and Raptor ISO
Ten External Animal Enclosure Structures (~7,500 SF) with 6 fiberglass pools and pumps/filters
- Aquatic Flight
- Raccoon
- 2 Duck Enclosures
- 2 Songbird Aviaries
- Opossum/Squirrel
- Raptor Flight
- Pelagic Pools
- Fawn
Exterior patio areas
Shop & Utility/Trash Buildings
Onsite and Offsite improvements
Building a New Home for Wildlife
- Modern facility built on land fully owned by PWC establishes permanence and elevates the quality of our facilities to match the quality of our care.
- Centralized location in San Luis Obispo County allows for quicker response times and increased accessibility.
- Floor plan minimizes occurrence of human interaction and imprinting on wildlife for best chances of successful release after care.
- Designed to adequately separate prey and predator species to minimize stress for best chances of rehabilitation.
- Flexible spaces accommodate seasonal influxes in wildlife populations and support our ability to respond to natural or man-made disasters.
- Increased capacity and updated facilities improve operational efficiency and create safer working conditions for staff and volunteers.
Key Milestones
- Jan 2020 – Purchased the 10-acre site for $1M (with the help of a generous gift from Kim and Derrel Ridenour)
- Mar 2020 – COVID shelter in place, health and supply chain challenges
- Oct 2020 – Constructed a second well on the property
- Jan 2022 – Launched the Campaign for Wildlife and Scrub Jay Legacy Society (with nearly $1M pledged by Board and leadership!)
- Sep 2022 – Minor Use Permit approved
- Mar 2023 – Began developing construction documents
- Nov 2024 – Received estimated project cost
- Feb 2025 – Adopted phased plan approach, finalized documents, and prepared for groundbreaking
- May 2025 – Ceremonial Groundbreaking
- Aug 2025 – Construction officially began!
Next Milestone: Phase I Construction completion and grand opening! Expected end of 2026.
Our Campaign for Wildlife — and What’s Next
In 2025, our community exceeded our Campaign for Wildlife goal, raising more than $11.5 million in gifts/pledges to bring our vision for a permanent, purpose-built wildlife care facility to life. This incredible support allowed us to purchase our 10-acre site, complete design and permitting, expand the Phase I scope, and begin construction on the new center. But our work isn’t finished. Additional funds are still needed to:
- Complete enclosures, aviaries, and facilities
- Equip animal care, training, and education spaces
- Support ongoing operations during construction.
Construction is expected to take approximately 15 months. During this time, we will continue caring for wildlife at our Morro Bay facility.
Your continued support will help us cross the finish line and open the doors to our forever home for wildlife!
Honoring Kim and Derrel Ridenour
Pacific Wildlife Care is proud to name its new facility the Kim and Derrel Ridenour Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, in recognition of the couple’s extraordinary generosity and lifelong dedication to animal welfare.
Kim and Derrel have been instrumental in making this vision a reality — from helping to fund the purchase of the 10-acre site to supporting the construction every step of the way. Longtime advocates for animals, they founded the HOPE (Halt Overpopulation with Prevention and Education) Foundation in Fresno, providing low-cost veterinary services to reduce overpopulation and suffering.
Their commitment to ensuring that no animal shall suffer reflects the very heart of PWC’s mission. As Kim shared,
“We feel passionate about organizations that are making a difference in the lives of others, whether it is humans or animals. The heart of the organization is all the people who give of their time, energy, and compassion. If we can come alongside an organization and help them reach their potential or goals… that’s the easy part.”
We are deeply grateful to Kim and Derrel for helping secure a future where injured and orphaned wildlife of SLO County will always have a safe refuge, compassionate care, and the hope of returning to the wild.
Help Us Cross the Finish Line
Construction has begun, but we still need your help to complete our forever home for wildlife. Together, we can ensure a brighter future for animals in need and the people who care for them.
Key Features of Our New Facility
- Dedicated areas for surgeries and predator/prey separation.
- Larger flight cages and transitional aviaries.
- Spaces for volunteer training and public programs.
Why This New Facility Is Critical
- Permanent Home – Ensures a stable, long-term future for PWC
- Central Location – Quick response times and easy access for the community
- Room to Grow – Space to expand as our capacity and programs increase
Thank you to our Campaign for Wildlife donors who made this possible!
Leading the Way Donors
Kim & Derrel Ridenour – DKR Foundation
Karen Clarke (SJLS)
Kathleen Dillon (SJLS)
Dorothy Correa & Garrett Foulke (SJLS)
Margaret R. Crockett (SJLS)
Claudia Duckworth (SJLS)
Aloha Windsor (SJLS)
Christine Harvey (SJLS)
Forbes Family Fund
BJ Gingg (SJLS)
County of San Luis Obispo
Jason Linn (SJLS)
Andrea Muenter (SJLS)
Eric & Kelley Nelson (SJLS)
Kimberly Perez
Jeffrey & Leticia Bisely
Randy & Sally Knight
Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust
Estate of Ron Osspapot (SJLS) – In honor of PWC volunteers, John & Kelly Cherry
Kathleen J. Waddell (SJLS)
Reaching the Goal Donors
Estate of Marjorie Hanks (SJLS)
Hoss & Sue Frink (SJLS)
Estate of Betty Jean Dodson (SJLS)
Susan Belany (SJLS)
Jeri & Brian Roberts
Carol Singleton (SJLS)
Marcelle Bakula (SJLS)
Sharon & Bob Blakely
Swift Action Fund
Kathy & Bob Duncan (SJLS)
karlandia foundation – In honor of Herbert & Nancy Smith
Craig & Skye Christakos
In memory of Jay Davidson: Anneka Scranton, Ben Davidson, Linh and Brad Davidson, Brenda Hock, Dale Nemer, Patricia Rosbrow, Jan Rozendaal, Susan Stenovec
Heather Howland
Jean & Joe Kuntze
Kelly Vandenheuvel – Founding Member, 1984
Estate of Russell Wiggins (SJLS)
Arlene & Chris Kettering
Kim Jeffrey
Virginia & John Flaherty (SJLS)
Elizabeth Moran
Donna & Larry Herbst (SJLS)
Holly Sletteland (SJLS)
Karen J. Gable & Doug Raines (SJLS)
Brenda Buchbinder Hock Legacy Fund (SJLS)
Susan Callery (SJLS)
Kate & John Capela
Brown Family Foundation
Chevron Corporation
Yvon Gresser
Christine & Lee Johnson
Linda & Mike Sims
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
Vistra Energy Corporation
Estate of Darlene Kay Mann (SJLS)
Rita & Stephen Burton
Michael Damer & Jamie Hartshorn
Ann Colby
Trevor Moriarty Farmers Insurance Agency
Ann Robinson
RSO Foundation
Appreciation to those generous donors who wish to remain anonymous.
(SJLS) denotes membership in Scrub Jay Legacy Society.
Community Donors
Jermaine & Ellie Washington
Calvin & Rosemary Wilvert
Larry Kahn
Sue & Bruce Morgenthaler
Deborah Fialkowski
Ronald Gross
Bette Kulp
Barry & Virginia Langdon-Lassagne
Michael & Christine Morykwas
Estate of Laurance Muenter
Diane Wilsdon
Pam Hartmann – In memory of Jonathan Perez and In honor of Denise Lorraine
Chris & Mark Landgreen
Lee & Victoria Wilkerson
Karin & Bruce Jurcevich
Kelly & John Cherry
Dan Chapman
Linda & Russ Charvonia
Colad Charitable Trust
Gaby & Ken Levine
John McCollister
Amaya Weddle
Tom & Jane Wilzbach
Janet Amanzio
Victoria Brien
Heather Daenitz
Susan Dokulil
David Gibbs
Alair & John Hough
Marcia & Dale Johnson
Marcia & John Lindvall
Marlys McPherson
Terry & Mark Monday
Virginia Murtaugh
Nautilus Puzzles
Teresa Pilot & Frank Widmann
Lisa Rainey
Leslie & Mitch Wyss
Woollybear Travels
Karen O’Grady – In memory of Major John O’Gratton
Leigh Rubin
Joanne Aasen
Becca Merrell
Molly & Harry Thorpe
Jennifer Ann Watson
R. J. Fog Agulia
Thomas Casdorph
Dennis “Woody” Combrink
Charlotte DeHaven
Kathy Eade – In honor of Kathleen Dillon
Pinky Fisher
Connie & Frank Freitas
Barbara Graper
Susan & Myron Hood
William Hooker
Lisa Miller
Francesca Okerlund
Jerry Olivera
MaryAnn Otter & Pat Smith
Heather Pyle
Robert Reid
Linda Searl & James Hallisey
Judy Vollmer
Marie Ramey
Kylie Bourke
Pam & Anthony Gudish
Mary F. Johnson
Lisa Mifsud
Wallace Group
Cika Cook
Jon Davison
Alan Evenson
Dave & Kim Frink
Craig Nuttycombe
Michael Geringer
Jeri Hughes – In honor of Margerie Manning
Jeanne & Todd Katz
Tammy Seale
Bethany & Ethan Totten – In honor of Deb & Tom Sherry
Luke Alexander
Yvonne Prudhomme &
George Van Vranken
Sheila Blake
Cindy Cantrell
Colleen & Mark Edwards
Ann Parker
Emily Sampson
Stephen Siemsen &
Lisa Casillas-Siemsen
Pebble & Terry Smith
Doug Tait
Aeri Taylor
Ron Alsop
Lara & Greg Baxley
Susan Cejda
Donna Coffey
Claudia Coleman
Jan Crane-Moon
Becky Evans
Terry Excell
Alexandra Fairfield – In memory of Robin O’Connor
Lorna Grinde
Jody Hilker
Michelle Israel
Tracey Jackman – In memory of Joanna Otto
Margaret Bowman-Kelley
Peggy Kelley
Holly Le
Serena & Aaron Lee – In memory of Jonny Perez
Elizabeth Lizamo – In memory of Ignacio
John Pepple
Dianne Pettit
Alexandra Piel
In memory of Ian Hoover
Jeanette & Dave Powles
James Raveret
Jim Ream
Karen & Barry Richards
Kathryn Rummell – In honor of Brenda Helmbrecht
Julie Stempin
Gerald Stover
Mark Taylor – In honor of Eric, Mare, Coty & Claire
Beth Welch
Linda & David Chipping
Susan Jonas
Steve & Kaaren Perry – In memory of David Perry
Renee Spiker – In honor of Dr Stephanie Sherman
Doug Taber
Jill Tappan
Mark & Susan Mertens
Linda Penrose
Josette Olivera-Sanson
Jacki Williams
Ilona Stone
Barbara Fullerton
Frink Griffin
Becky Maxwell
Marta Aliaga
Linda Allen
Julie K. Austin
Connie Baxter
Scott & Karleyne Binford
Sandi Bishop
Janelle Bland
Joanne Bradley
Shaunie Briggs
Jan Bugge
Deanna & Gary Cain
Petra & Jack Clayton
Edward Coligney
Jackie Crane
Dennis Curry
Helen K. Davie
Patty & Jim Dee
Sally DeVincenzo
Mimi & Mark Ditchie
Jennie Enholm
Kimberly & Dave Erickson
Linda Field
Joette Forkner
Pam Froistad
Joni Gardner
Laura Goldberg
Kim Griffith
Linda & Robert Hamilton
Peggy & Larry Harlan
Ann Hilbert
Sharon & Ted Hunter
Julia Jenkins
Colleen & Eric Johnson
Gwen K
Stacey King
Lock Ag Adventure
Sue Luft
Christina Bakula Lusby – In honor of Marcelle Bakula
Theodore Maino – In memory of Travis
David & Elizabeth McAlister – In honor of Katherine McAlister
Robby Miller
Diane Mills
Paul & Heidi Holmes-Nagy
Dani Nicholson – In memory of Micah
Heather O’Connor
Catherine Okerlund
Connie Pendleton
Anawat Putwanphen
Joanne Ruggles
In honor of Lauren &
Alan Donovan
Judy Saltzman-Saveker
In honor of Pandora
Leanne Seret
Joel Siegel
Lynda Steinbeck
Janet Surbey
Francesca & Dan Tashjian
Kristina Tingstrom
Beth Whiteley
In honor of Julie Stempin
Rudy Wann
Arlene Winn
Nancy Bernard
Kelley Boland
Bob and Marleta Garner
Debra Holt
Barbara Housand
James Smith
Amela Arnold
Stacy & Jerry Ballard
Diane Brown
Lois Cassin
Nancy Castle
Jeri Edwards
Scott Ellis
Gail Garcia – In memory of Kayla Caroline
Keith S. Hart
Cheryle Inboden
Blaire Kilbey
Melissa Maris
Shelley McCluskie
Jacqueline A. Morton – In honor of Camelia Cross
Marianne & Steve Selindh
Nancy Walter
Kat Holland
Peggie Sanders
Shirley Holgate
Nancy Carter
Julianne Dunkley
Carol Lair
Sarah McDonough
Updated October 6, 2025
Get Involved
Join us in building a brighter future for wildlife. Your donation makes a difference, and together, we can create a lasting impact. Stay tuned for updates and find out more ways to get involved.
