Hope for Wildlife spruces up the new year with annual Christmas tree drop-off

Hope for Wildlife accepts tree donations Hope for Wildlife received hundreds of Christmas trees Saturday that they'll use for animal enclosures and food. Jonathan MacInnis reports.

A record number of animals have been seen at Hope for Wildlife – a rehabilitation and education organization located in Seaforth, N.S. - in the past year.

“We have 7,000 patients this year. Normally we get about 5,500 and we do have many that have to winter over,” says Hope for Wildlife's founder, Hope Swinimer.

That's why those at the centre look forward to things like their annual Christmas tree drop-off.

“Hope for Wildlife, they do important things for local wildlife and anyway that we could help, we like to donate where we can, so it’s for a good cause,” said Oliver Pearce, as he dropped off his Christmas tree on Saturday.

The trees must be stripped of all decorations before they are dropped off.

Swinimer says they are used for things like shelter, enrichment, and are also a food source for some animals.

Most years, the tree drop-off coincides with a tour of the facility. However, due to COVID-19, Swinimer has had to close the rehab centre two years in a row.

"Normally we get to show people around and show them a little bit of what we do with our education animals, and the children especially really look forward to that,” Swinimer says.

The drop-off ended Saturday afternoon but Swinimer says trees can still be left at the bottom of the rehab centre’s driveway for anyone who still wants to donate.