DANA - President, wildlife rehabilitator
PETER  - Vice President, wildlife rehabilitator 
SHERRY  - Board of Directors, medical consultant (On July 19, 2016, our organization and our lives suffered a tremendous loss when our beloved Sherry passed away.)

      BILL - Volunteer/Assistant

Kindred Spirits Wildlife Center
P.O Box 1222
Graham, NC  27253
336-376-8602

*e-mail: danasims@sprynet.com

*IMPORTANT: for an animal in need, always contact us by phone, not e-mail.


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OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We are dedicated to the care and preservation of all wildlife. We strive to nurture and care for sick, injured, and orphaned creatures in order to return them to their habitats in good physical and psychological health. We intervene in their lives only to the extent that we can assist them in returning to their natural homes. For those that do not survive, we provide a haven to pass from this life into the next.
 

ABOUT US...

Kindred Spirits has been assisting sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife since 1991. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit incorporated organization (which means we have all the proper approvals at both state and federal level, making your donation tax deductible.)  Our facility is both state and federally licensed. We have also been given special permits from the N.C.Wildlife Resources Commission for species not covered by a general permit. 

Prior to working with wildlife, Dana and Peter began adopting special needs dogs, got involved with animal welfare issues, and volunteered with various domestic animal groups.  They soon gained a reputation for being a go-to couple when someone had a domestic animal in need.  In 1991, however, they were brought an injured baby blue jay (which Dana named G.P., short for Guinea Pig. Hmm. Did she know then this was just the first of many?). Dana was aware that working with wildlife required a license so she called a local wildlife official asking how to get the proper permits. He warned her being a wildlife rehabilitator was not easy, but in her naiveté she persisted.  He put her in touch with Sherry Carter who was doing wildlife rehab at the time. (Later, Dana fussed at the biologist for not trying harder to talk her out of it!  Saying it was not easy was like saying the Atlantic Ocean was a little wet!) Sherry, a registered nurse certified in neo-natal intensive care, took Dana under her wing and began training her. Armed with a few old aquariums and a great desire to learn, Dana's devotion to wildlife was on its way. (To make the story even better, Sherry and Dana became best friends and are still so to this day.) Dana has done charity work all her life - Humane Society, Friends of the Court, Family Abuse Services, etc. - but nothing has ever fulfilled her like this does. Must be, because she's been at it over two decades now. 

Dana expanded the education/training Sherry provided by attending advanced wildlife rehab training in N.C. and Virginia, receiving hands-on training from a federally licensed rehabilitator, and apprenticing under veterinarian Don Courtney. Dana reads every bit of wildlife and veterinary medical literature she can to stay up to date.  Peter, by necessity, learned from his wife since he found himself thrust in the middle of a "wild" marriage and had little choice! Today he is as well-versed and every bit as capable as she is.  Kindred Spirits could not exist without him.  (Literally since he provides the finances and much of the physical labor.)

Kindred Spirits is a highly respected wildlife rehab facility. They've gone from a few aquariums to having an indoor wildlife nursery, a separate hospital building, outdoor bird habitats and several black bear pens, which can double as bird of prey or fawn pens as necessary.  Other specialized pens will come when (and if) the money materializes. There is nary a native species they haven't taken care of and can tell you all about each and every one.  Dana has even authored and published a comprehensive book on deer after countless rehabilitators spoke of the need for such a resource.  It is not unusual for Kindred Spirits to receive requests for information from all over the country about various wildlife issues.  It is Kindred Spirits belief that in order to properly care for an animal you must understand everything about it. They have become well-known for their work, which is amazing given it is run primarily by two people. While they may not have the latest technological gizmos and testing equipment, they have what matters...heart, dedication, devotion, and the willingness to give up any semblance of a life in order to save these precious creatures.