Humble Nova Scotia wildlife centre marking 20 years of saving lives

As we enter a state-of-the-art raptor enclosure at the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Hilden, N.S., massive eagles swoop overhead, the power of their wings apparent by the breeze brushing across my face.

I'm told to hug the centre wall of the wooden structure and stay completely still for a moment — birds of prey do not like human visitors and tend to fly toward the outside walls.

The building — known as the Big Jeezley — is the only one of its kind in Canada, and is even globally unique. 

Its oval shape and high ceilings offer continuous flight for the birds, allowing them to build up their flight muscles before being released back into the wild. The open-air design also helps mimic the eagle's natural habitat.

"We've always thought that we have the skills and the knowledge to repair some of the damage that people do to wild animals," says Murdo Messer, co-founder and board chair of the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

"I think all these creatures deserve a chance to live the free lives that nature gave them. And if we can right some of those wrongs, that's what our goal is."

The raptor flyway is a cornerstone achievement of the centre, which is celebrating its 20th year as a non-profit organization.

The facility has come a long way from its humble beginnings inside Messer's house, where he and his late wife, celebrated veterinarian Helene Van Doninck, started caring for wild animals in a small, cramped room.

"It was kind of like a mom-and-pop operation," recalls Messer, as sunshine peeks through the wood slat walls of the Big Jeezley. 

"We would be looking after animals in our spare time because she was a full-time vet, and I was working full time."

As word got out about their tiny operation, they started to see more wildlife, and so they decided to expand, erecting buildings outside their home on a quiet rural road.

On the face of it, the operation is unassuming, but makes a big difference for the wildlife here in Nova Scotia.

Along with the flyway — which was designed by Messer — there is a nursery and an enclosure for wildlife such as owls.

A variety of animals pass through the doors of the nursery each year, including all birds native to Nova Scotia and small mammals such as skunks, porcupines and groundhogs.