Cindy Kirkendall works as the Wildlife Center Reception / Admissions Specialist in the PAWS Wildlife Center. Cindy volunteered at the wildlife center for 2 ½ years and has been a Staff member for 1-½ years. Her training includes Wildlife Care Assistant Volunteer training, IWRC 1AB Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Seminar and IBRRC Oiled Wildlife Care Intensive Training.

Everyday Cindy is run off her feet, admitting injured, sick or Orphaned wild animals, answering wildlife questions (phone, in- person, email), keeping records of donations, assisting rehabilitators with examinations, occasionally conducting WCA trainings and lots of odd jobs.

Cindy loves her job at PAWS and tells us why, "The opportunity to be part of the rehabilitation process of a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal is great. I also love educating people about wildlife - passing on the do's and don'ts, dispelling myths, preventing unnecessary rescues, allaying fears and contributing to better understanding of wildlife."

The Wildlife Center is always full of interesting animals and rescues. Cindy tells us about one exciting rescue, "I rescued two orphaned baby gulls from the roof of a hotel in downtown Seattle with the assistance of the person that reported the situation. First, I called the hotel staff to get permission to gain access to the roof. Then, I asked Steve, the person who noticed the gulls from his office across the street, if he would like to help me. Of course, he accepted. So I gathered supplies and headed for downtown Seattle."

"We soon discovered that the only way to the babies was through the window of one of the guest suites. The hotel staff was so helpful. They cleared it for us to go through the room. When we got out onto the roof, our plan was for each of us to carefully coral a bird. Usually these things don't go as planned. But luck was with us that day. The rescue went quickly and smoothly. As we were leaving the roof to exit through the hotel suite, we gazed across the street and noticed Steve's co-workers. About 10 people were standing in a group by the window, apparently watching the whole thing. They were cheering and applauding our success. One of the gulls was badly injured and did not make it. The other one was successfully rehabilitated and released."