Retired veterinarians propose statewide wildlife rehabilitation center in Hooksett; organizers seek $6.5M and operational support

Retired veterinarians Mike and Helen Gutton presented plans for a regional wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary training center that organizers say would serve New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. The facility would centralize intake, medical care, rehabilitation and release functions to reduce repeated animal transport and provide training for veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Mike Gutton, introduced as a veterinarian with decades of experience repairing raptors and other wildlife, said the center is proposed on a 107‑acre property with roughly 21 acres to be subdivided for the facility at 30 Goffstown Road in Hooksett, about two miles from Exit 11. “By having one central location for everything, there was a lot less stress to the animal,” Gutton said, describing a single intake, treatment and rehabilitation location that eliminates repeated transfers between rehabilitators and veterinary hospitals.

Organizers described a facility program that would include surgery, x‑ray, ICU hospitalization, indoor rehabilitation space, flight cages (including a large 5,500‑square‑foot eagle flight pen), quarantine areas, ponds for waterfowl training and on‑site housing for a live‑in caretaker and short‑term residences for interns and trainees. The center would also offer training and externships for veterinary students and technicians to increase regional capacity for wildlife care and to document specific surgical techniques such as wing repairs.

Presenters outlined preliminary cost estimates and fundraising status: site work estimated at about $1.3 million, outbuildings replicating existing rehabilitator infrastructure about $1.4 million, the main building about $3.2 million and a residence about $800,000 — a combined rough total of roughly $6.5 million. Presenters said they have 501(c)(3) status and reported over $1 million in pledges and several in‑kind donations, but said additional funding is needed for construction and operations. They said the timeline, if fundraising succeeds, could allow construction in late summer 2026.

Speakers referenced coordination with New Hampshire Fish and Game and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Presenters said Fish and Game has expressed concern about statewide rehabilitation capacity and will be engaged with the project; donors Jared George and Cheryl Lucci, the Wildlife Heritage Foundation and SMP Architecture (donating design work) were named as early supporters. “We’ve got a lot of people wanting to come here,” Mike Gutton said, describing interest from volunteer and professional networks.

Questions from commissioners and attendees addressed operating funding, long‑term sustainability, training pipelines, and whether the town of Hooksett or the City of Manchester would provide endorsements or other support. Organizers said operations will rely on philanthropy, grants and donations; they pointed to in‑kind donations already pledged, explained plans for RFPs this spring and said their next steps include zoning and permitting work in Hooksett and continued fundraising.

Presenters emphasized the center’s intended role in training and capacity building: they plan to teach veterinarians and staff specialized rehabilitative techniques, host interns and short courses, and use a volunteer scheduling model similar to local animal welfare organizations. Organizers also described plans for a public viewing area for intake and treatment spaces for educational programming, while noting measures (gates, controlled access) to avoid habituating wildlife to humans.

No formal action or vote was taken; the commission offered support and asked to be kept informed. Organizers requested that the commission consider listing the project among community supporters as they continue fundraising and permitting work.