Bear Cub Food Donations

We need your help! Our six growing bear cubs are in hyperphagia, gearing up towards the winter months that they will spend hunkered down in their den. During this time, our bear cubs eat an incredible amount of food. Currently, we are ordering nearly 1,200 pounds of food weekly to provide these cubs with a healthy and natural diet. This is not only very expensive but also very time-consuming for our staff who also tend to the needs of the 100 plus other animals in care at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue.  We are reaching out to our community in the hopes of relieving some of this burden both on our team and our finances. From now until late November, we are asking our community to donate whatever they can to support these bear cubs. 

We are actively seeking donations of: 

Fish – Any species is greatly appreciated. Fish is one of the most expensive food items that we offer but it is also important so that we can teach these bear cubs about this critical food resource available to them in the wild. We can also take fish heads and scraps from your catches!   

Nuts – Acorns and walnuts are a great natural resource for our bear cubs! Collecting them is a great reason to get out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather! 

Fruits and Veggies – Fruits and veggies are by far the largest bulk of our cubs’ diets. Thankfully, both grow abundantly in Sonoma County. If you have any fruits or veggies from your garden to spare, please review our sign-up sheet. Please note that we cannot feed out nightshades (i.e. tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, etc.). 

An important note about produce donations: Animals in care enjoy fruit and veggies the same way we do, ripe but not overripe or rotting. Please make sure that the produce you’re donating is in good condition. Donations can sit for up to a week before being fed out. 

Hardboiled Eggs – Hardboiled eggs are a protein rich food item that we can offer our bear cubs. Hard-boiling the eggs prior to donation will save our staff and volunteers valuable time that we need to care for the patients currently in our care. It will also save us from making multiple trips to refill exhausted propane tanks that fuel our stove. 

If you can donate food, please sign up using the link below. Using this sign-up sheet helps us make the most of your donation, preventing us from over ordering, which can waste both food and money. If you are donating a produce item that is not listed on the sign-up sheet, please sign up for one similar (i.e. if you are donating plums, you can sign up for another sweet fruit such as apples or pears). If you have a food item to donate that you are unsure about, please call us at 707-992-0274.  

We are open for donation drop-off every day from 9 AM to 5 PM. We have set up a donation table at the front door to the center where you can leave donated food.