A new charity has been created to run one of Vancouver's most well-known animal organizations.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue (VAMMR) has been registered as its own independent charity as it continues more than 60 years of work helping seals, sea lions, sea otters, and other animals rescued on the shores of the Pacific.
"VAMMR responds to over 300 marine mammal emergencies annually and runs Canada's only dedicated marine mammal hospital facility," reads a release from the aquarium.
While day-to-day operations are expected to stay the same for the rescue centre as a charity, its administrative structure will change, with an independent board of directors, separate finances, and a donor management system.
"VAMMR will be able to raise money for important medical equipment, improving infrastructure, and creating a world-class hospital facility," states the release.
The marine mammal rescue centre has long operated under the umbrella of the Vancouver Aquarium, which was originally publicly owned and then owned and run by Ocean Wise, which was a not-for-profit organization born out of the aquarium. Ocean Wise sold the aquarium to Herschend Enterprises in 2021.
