Cinder, a bear rehabbed at LTWC in 2014 after sustaining life-threatening burns in a Washington fire, was immortalized in the book “Cinder the Bear: A True Story of Rescue, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Return”. She was killed in 2017 by a hunter. (Credit: LTWC)

What was supposed to be a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art animal rehabilitation center physically looks like the opposite.

What was supposed to be a centerpiece of pride for South Shore locals and a draw for tourists has failed on both accounts.

Lake Tahoe Wild Care is a chaotic mess when it comes to being able to care for animals, communicate with the public, function as a professionally run nonprofit, and deliver on its original mission statement.

Those still affiliated with the facility who spoke to the Mountain News disagree with these assessments.

“The increased professionalism in the last few years has been astounding. It is a world-class rehabilitation facility,” Alexis Holmes, LTWC attorney, said. “My job is to bring everything into compliance.”

Executive Director Catherine Mendez would not make herself available for an interview, with Holmes saying Mendez was too busy, in part getting the necessary credentials to apply for the state permits that were forfeited by a former employee, and hiring an animal care director.

Many who were once part of the rehab center have little good to say about its operations, with some scared to speak on or off the record for fear of retaliation.

Kevin Willitts, longtime veterinarian at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, in January 2017 readies a young bear for Yosemite officials to return to the national park. (Credit: Kathryn Reed)

Animals at the core

While the purpose of LTWC—to rehabilitate injured wildlife for return to the wild—has not changed since it started in 1978, it’s been a rocky road since moving in October 2019 from the founders’ back yard to the 27-acre site on Al Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.

Tom and Cheryl Millham started the nonprofit, with operations being at their home for 22 years.

“We were able to release about two-thirds of the animals. We took care of about 25,000; that would be about 16,000 we released to the wild,” Tom Millham said. “That means 9,000 perished upon receipt or had to be put down.”

LTWC’s response regarding numbers was murky, with board President Coralin Glerum emailing, “… in the wildlife rehabilitation industry, the term ‘rehabilitated’ refers to any animal that comes in the doors of the center. This is because all animals receive exams, documentation, and other procedures even if they arrive DOA. In the general public however, the term rehabilitated does not have the same connotation and more commonly reflects a level of healing that ensures survival in some capacity. This is why that word is too loaded for us to use accurately in public settings.”

That was LTWC’s explanation for why the numbers it provided for animal arrivals and those rehabilitated are the same.

Data from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) obtained by the Tahoe Mountain News through the Public Records Act provides details the nonprofit did not. This agency oversees facilities like LTWC.

LTWC must report each year to CDFW all animals it took in, number released, transfers to another entity, pending (still at the center), total euthanized, died, and dead on arrival.

CDFW reports from LTWC:

• 2020: 704 animals arrived, 379 released, 16 transferred, 38 pending, 52 euthanized, 195 died, 24 DOA. Percent released 53.8.
• 2021: 679 animals arrived, 416 released, 19 transferred, 25 pending, 53 euthanized, 153 died, 13 DOA. Percent released 61.3.
• 2022: 573 animals arrived, 236 released, 19 transferred, 22 pending, 94 euthanized, 176 died, 26 DOA. Precent released 41.2.
• 2023: 661 animals arrived, 246 released, 19 transferred, 3 pending, 138 euthanized, 210 died, 45 DOA. Percent released 37.

Holmes said, “… the main statistics we keep in order to monitor the quality of care LTWC offers is the post-24 survival rate statistic. This data shows that we have a post-24 hour survival rate of 72.02 percent for birds and a post-24 hour survival rate of 75.25 percent for mammals, which are excellent numbers.”

Those numbers are for 2022, 2023, and through October 2024, though details of how they were calculated were not provided.

Because wild animals are the state’s property CDFW licenses people, centers and keeps track of numbers.

On July 1 the state expects to implement new protocols for rehab centers. Comments on the proposed changes were taken through Dec. 6. The state did not explain how things could change.

Since mid-October LTWC has not been allowed to take in any injured animals.

“They cannot perform any wildlife rehabilitation work until they have a Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit, which they have not yet applied for,” CDFW spokesman Peter Tira said in December. “At this time, they only possess a Restricted Species Permit, which allows them to possess native wildlife otherwise illegal to possess in California.”

Other LTWC licenses:

• CDFW: Scientific Collecting Permit—Pending. Would be a new permit allowing LTWC to take and possess wildlife for educational purposes.
• S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Special Purpose Possession Permit—Active.
• USFWS: Eagle Exhibition Permit—Active.
• USFWS: Federal Migratory Bird Rehabilitation Permit—Active.
• S. Department of Agriculture: Mammal and Birds Permit—Active.

Debris litters the back area of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care in South Lake Tahoe. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

People on the move

Board members and staff say they left because of dysfunction.

Mendez is the third executive director, with Cheryl Millham the first and Heidi Volkhardt Allstead leaving in July 2023 after 17 months on the job.

“I think things were getting really well aligned when I was there,” Allstead said. “I think a few people were really vindictive and were not wanting what was best for the organization. The people who were problematic are no longer there.”

She would not name names, but said it involved the board. The board as a whole is the ED’s boss.

“I’ve worked with a lot of nonprofits and consulted for 30 years. This was the most complicated not because of the mission, but the most complicated because of the people,” Allstead said.

Between Allstead and Mendez’s arrival in January 2024, Glerum stepped off the board to be interim executive director. Glerum joined the board in 2015 while living in Incline Village. She has sense relocated to the South Shore.

When she brought in people she knew it started to change the atmosphere, according to former board members and staff. “Hostile work environment” is a phrase many have used.

Sue Novasel had been affiliated with LTWC for more than 30 years, first as a volunteer, then a board member, with a hiatus when she was county supervisor.

“In a fit of frustration I quit the board in August 2023,” Novasel said. “A lot of longtime volunteers were having issues and complaints. I was not involved in the day-to-day, but I was hearing all of it. When I asked about it, I was rebuffed.”

Novasel was frustrated the original plans to create a sanctuary had been put on hold indefinitely. This was one of the selling points to donors and the community for the move, that an animal education center would be built. That it would be a tourist draw.

Glerum acknowledges the sanctuary, which she calls a de facto zoo, was in the original plans.

“If you were to build a sanctuary, you would need another staff, another board. That is a completely different operation,” Glerum said. “None of us had the bandwidth, money or energy to move forward.”

She said the focus needs to be on completing the basics all these years later.

“A lot of enclosures as constructed did not adhere to CDFW regulations, so we had to adjust. The process has been larger than we expected,” Glerum said.

Bitterness at the new site started when the Millhams wanted to remain affiliated with the organization they started, but were told no way. They kept Tom Millham for three months before offering the couple three retirement options.

“They were so nasty to us. We had to sign an NDA to get the small pittance of retirement money they gave us,” Cheryl Millham said. “They didn’t want people to know how nasty and absurd they were against us. That was my life and to take someone’s life away from them really hurts.”

Denise Upton was the first animal care director at the current site, having been an integral part of the operation under the Millhams.

The director holds the critical permits. Most state and federal animal permits are issued to a person, not a facility. This is why LTWC is temporarily out of the rehab business.

Upton relinquished the director’s job in 2022 to focus on education, and left the organization in November 2023.

“Like many of the other people, I was treated poorly,” Upton said. “We had a great group of people, then all of a sudden the dynamics changed. Something is toxic over there. It’s like a culture of exclusion is what it has become. They find a way to push you out.”

Upton points to how board meetings were open to anyone, but not now. Gerlum and Holmes confirmed non-board members are allowed only by invitation.

Kassie Quackenbush, who started as a volunteer—which is a norm for staff and board members, took over for Upton; including having the permits. Quackenbush and Eliza Cameron were co-wildlife rehabilitation managers.

Quackenbush would not speak on the record as she contemplates legal action. Holmes said the board is reviewing its legal options against Quackenbush.

Cameron, who left shortly after Quackenbush, could not be reached.

“Based on the internal investigation (Quackenbush) was unhappy with the organization. It’s unclear why she was unhappy with the organization. Rumors out there are she did not get along with the executive director,” Holmes said.

Holmes is the first attorney to be a spokesperson for LTWC. She is married to board member Tara Christian, also an attorney.

There is disagreement whether Quackenbush was asked by the state to forfeit the permits.

In the past it would have been a bigger deal for LTWC to not be operating because for years it was the only state licensed facility to care for black bears. Now there are three others. The three LTWC bears were sent to Sonoma County.

Kevin Willitts, longtime volunteer veterinarian and lone original board member, did not return calls or emails.

Glerum said, “We had a discussion with him. He’s not going anywhere.”

Legal bills are becoming greater at LTWC as it recently settled a lawsuit brought by a former animal care manager not named here. Details were not provided by either side.

Former board member Greg Erfani is evaluating his legal options after donating more than $35,000 for a beaver structure he said was never built.

LTWC says not so fast.

“(The Lackie-Erfani Water Mammal Building) is fully constructed and the current uses are Porky’s enclosure and the other half is used as necessary for the needs of the organization, i.e. animals that need to be kept warm, as this is one of the heated buildings,” Holmes said. (Porky is the porcupine who lives at LTWC full time.)

“LTWC does not get many water mammals, so this building is often repurposed for organizational needs. For example, LTWC records indicate that LTWC received a mink, two beavers, and no otters since the move to Al Tahoe,” Holmes said. “Moreover, the last two beavers LTWC received, one beaver was immediately returned to its family in the river and the other beaver was transferred to another facility better suited to its needs.”

Erfani acknowledges his and his partner’s names are on the building, but says what they paid for isn’t what exists.

“There is a building, but no water feature. They named it a small mammal water feature. How do you rehab water mammals with no water?” he asked.

Erfani left the board in May 2024 after being on it for a handful of years.

“I disagreed greatly with the direction they are going, with the overpaying of an ED with little experience,” he said.

He questions the safety of the animals, pointing to several leaving on their own accord, and then other wildlife entering despite the fencing and rebar underground.

“They have done internal reports on this but have not made them public,” Erfani said.

Those in the know jokingly call it “self-release” when an animal escapes.

Bruce Richards, who called his affiliation with LTWC a full-time job for 11 years, was involved with fundraising, the transition to Al Tahoe, technology, and being on the board from 2014-15 and 2017-20. He and his wife, Adele, have their names on a plaque at the entrance to the main building after contributing more than $135,000 to the nonprofit.

(Glerum and Willits have their names on the wall, too, but in smaller letters.)

“It was really a hands-on board at the time,” Richards said. Then things changed dramatically.

“In late 2021 the board structure evolved. A group of people from Incline Village came in and took control. They were friends with one board member. This group from Incline had no hands-on rehabilitation experience and virtually no business management experience,” Richards said.

Richards has both types of experience.

“They decided they were not going to build the education center and instead channel money into staff,” Richards said.

The professional engineer gave notice April 2023 with four structures left to be built. He had planned to have them done that August, but the board was ready for him to exit in July.

“Tensions were rising between board leadership and me because they knew I was critical of decisions and staffing. Their way to deal with conflict is to get rid of people,” Richards said.

Dark shadows literally and figuratively fall across Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Current status

As of mid-December, LTWC had sent seven cease and desist letters to people commenting on social media.

“These letters are an attempt to correct the patently false rumors being spread in the public,” Holmes said. “They are now calling LTWC a slaughterhouse. These are serious accusations that need to be addressed.”

The accusations are because animals in their care keep dying. A baby eagle was killed in August by what LTWC says was a coyote attack.

Tippi, a female kestrel who was an ambassador, was euthanized last fall. Holmes said, “(The) cause of  death is undetermined and the atherosclerosis theory cannot be proven.”

Em the bald eagle died in mid-December essentially of old age.

The site has an electric fence around it, but in early December it was not activated. Glerum said this was to save money while it only has ambassador animals on-site.

LTWC employees about 15 people when it’s busy with animals. That drops to about 10 in the winter when fewer animals are on property.

The budget fluctuates between $800,000 and $900,000 a year.

The Millhams’ budget was about $120,000, which included salaries.

“They used to get free food from local supermarkets, then they started buying food,” Richards said.

Farmers at the Tuesday market in South Lake often would take produce to LTWC.

The board president says donations like acorns, pumpkins, apples and tree branches are still welcome.

“We used to have volunteers go behind grocery stores and go into dumpsters. Grocery stores knew this,” Glerum said. “Recently I talked to Whole Foods and they said we can’t have expired produce even for animals.”

Walking into the main building it looks dreary and uninviting. It’s hard to believe they’ve had more than five years to decorate the one place the public can visit.

Two TVs are on one wall showing the animals still there. Webcams had been set up in nearly all of the animal structures so people could watch them from home. The public isn’t allowed to visit the animals in person so they don’t become habituated.

“We need a new system. That system is not working the way we hoped. We will be working at complete replacement of the webcam system,” Glerum said. “It will cost a lot of money. We are constantly having to fix the one we have.”

Richards, who installed the system, is baffled.

“BS,” he said. “They could easily be streaming webcam video today like they have been since 2018 when I installed the current systems. Nothing has changed with the equipment since I left; and it was running great.

“It’s a very nicely designed site IT system that I carefully documented in a 50 page IT Support Manual that I wrote. But that manual presumes that the IT support person understands how complicated IT systems work.”

Richards said if something is broken, he will fix it for free.

He sees the webcam issue as a larger reflection of the current state of affairs at LTWC.

“This is why LTWC is failing. They fail to recognize the amount of expertise it takes to make an enterprise like LTWC operate and they systematically force out the very people that have that expertise. That’s why their IT systems are breaking down,” Richards said. “That’s why they lost their permits. That’s why their attrition is so outrageous. It’s a great example of management with no experience making bad mistakes and ruining a once great company. They think that every problem is solved by replacing someone or something. But experience is very, very, very hard to replace. And hardware is expensive.”

Walking the perimeter of the facility it’s easy to peak in through the slats and corners where the fencing comes together.

In early December, wire fencing, PVC pipe and other construction material were scattered about, two cargo shipping containers with debris behind them were on site, plywood covered some windows, while others had haphazard wire mesh attached.

A turned over pale with material for the wire fencing sat outside the fence.

Glerum and Holmes say the entry could be more welcoming. It’s on the to-do list.

As for the window coverings, plywood is sometimes used during the winter to protect the building, the duo said. They try not to waste any product, so sometimes the outer areas become storage sites.

They are hoping the permits will come soon so rehabbing wildlife resumes. Those left behind believe things aren’t so bleak. Those who are gone disagree.

“There are dozens who care about LTWC. Bring volunteers back, create transparency, and let’s build that education center,” Richards said. “Let’s get back to what made this organization great in the first place. We can’t do that with this board in place.”

Note: A version of this story firs appeared in the Tahoe Mountain News.