For many rehabbers, the “fly or die” philosophy is strictly a necessity of resource management. If money or professional services aren't available, rehabbers have no option but to eliminate the worst cases and direct their total efforts towards the survival of the fittest. Although that's generally the cold reality, Wild At Heart doesn't always agree with that line of thinking.

"We've had too many success stories with severely injured birds to be limited to this type of approach to raptor rescue and rehabilitation," says Sam Fox, director of Wild At Heart. Besides, we find even the unsuccessful attempts to save traumatically injured raptors give us unprecedented insights into future options for saving our beloved wildlife."

Like every reputable rehab facility, Wild At Heart is extremely conscious of how its resources are allocated. "We have a commitment to our contributors, volunteers, the community at-large, and Arizona's raptors, to manage the center responsibly," says Sam.

 "And for us, part of the responsibility is to occasionally push the envelope by taking extreme measures when treating certain borderline cases. We don't do this with all critically injured birds. Euthanasia is sometimes the most merciful response, but if the individual circumstances bode well for a reasonably successful outcome, we'll consider extraordinary measures to save the raptor."

"There's a lot to consider when selecting an appropriate candidate for this kind of special treatment - it's a tough decision. We use our experience and that of our volunteer veterinarians. These vets make the difference. Because of them, we're occasionally able to push the envelope."

"Age and species are two of the first considerations in our selection process," says Sam. "Is it a common raptor or on the endangered list? Will the bird be able to survive the trauma of a difficult surgery and the possibility of uncomfortable, extensive rehab? If in the end the raptor isn't releasable, will it have a good quality of life in captivity - either here or at another facility? Some birds do well in captivity as educational birds or foster parents - but some don't. If the bird is going to be miserable, we've done it no favor by keeping it alive."

For Wild At Heart, pushing the envelope is about more than just saving individual lives. It's about research; about stepping beyond routine injuries and exploring the unknown; about finding better solutions for saving our wildlife in the future. And in the end, it's about enriching all of our lives.