Think Wild Launched Campaign for Hospital Upgrades

The Bend nonprofit seeks $13,000 to replace residential laundry machines with commercial equipment.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Philanthropy

Think Wild Launched Campaign for Hospital Upgrades

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Think Wild has initiated a $13,000 fundraising campaign to purchase professional laundry equipment for its animal hospital in Bend. The nonprofit requires industrial units to maintain sanitation standards for the high volume of wildlife patients it treats annually.

Why it matters

The current residential washing machines cannot handle the heavy workload generated by treating nearly 1,000 animals each year. Upgrading to commercial appliances will improve efficiency and ensure proper biosecurity control for more than 200 species.

The fundraising target of $13,000 covers $9,400 for stackable commercial units, $1,800 for electrical upgrades, $1,270 for room installation, and $530 for supplies. The hospital has treated more than 3,300 wildlife patients since opening in 2020.

The players

Think Wild

This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides medical care and rehabilitation for injured or orphaned native wildlife in Central Oregon.

The details

Staff currently spend extra time manually scraping debris off linens before washing them in residential machines. The transition to commercial gear is necessary to handle the intensity of daily care for the wildlife population served by the facility.

Timeline

  1. Think Wild hospital opened in 2020.

  2. The wildlife hotline operates seven days a week.

Market Landscape

This campaign reflects the broader resource limitations faced by local 501(c)(3) wildlife rehabilitation centers when scaling operations to meet increasing regional demand. It underscores the transition many small nonprofits make from residential infrastructure to specialized commercial facilities as their patient counts grow.

Residents can contribute directly to the $13,000 goal to ensure the hospital continues to maintain strict sanitation protocols for local wildlife. For questions regarding injured animals, the community can utilize the organization's hotline at 541-241-8680.

The takeaway

Reliable laundry infrastructure is a fundamental requirement for the biosecurity of any veterinary facility handling high patient volumes. Supporters should confirm specific donation channels with the hospital before contributing to ensure funds reach the intended project.

Further reading

Learn more about local efforts by visiting the Philanthropy section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by KTVZ.

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Do you believe local non-profits should rely on community donations to fund facility infrastructure?