DOUGLAS COUNTY — Tucked away just south of C-470 off Santa Fe Drive, Kendall Seifert runs two distinctly different operations in the same place, with one helping support the other.
The Squirrel Creek Lodge is known by some as the home of the Scarlet Ranch — one of the largest swingers’ clubs in the region — but Seifert would also like it to be known for the wild animal rescue he has been sinking his money into for the past five years.
“I’ve always had a great love for wildlife,” Seifert said.
Squirrel Creek Wildlife Rescue, 8109 Blakeland Drive, took in about 2,700 animals last year, ranging from foxes with mange to injured squirrels, raccoons and pretty much anything else. It operates with an annual budget of around $1 million, most of it coming from Seifert’s own pockets.
The animals are below the club in the basement. Some outdoor enclosed habitats for squirrels and other animals are built outside the lodge.
The rescue has two full-time veterinary technicians and about 45 volunteers who staff the rescue at all hours, every day.
Vet tech AnDee Groditski is one of the two full-time employees and has been on staff for about 18 months after spending some time as a volunteer. She said her first thought was that it was weird to see a rescue underneath a nightclub, but she said she’s lucky to be part of such an operation where she can treat wildlife full time.
“I don’t really care where the money comes from as long as we’re paid and (the animals are) fed,” she said.
The rescue is a registered nonprofit and has grown almost exponentially since Seifert was licensed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to care for the animals.
Seifert said he gets animals brought in from all over the metro area via individuals, local law enforcement, animal control and other animal organizations.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has licensed more than 80 wildlife rescuers throughout the state, however, many of them are small and only serve about 20-30 animals per year.
“Parks and Wildlife values good rehabilitators highly, particularly in the Front Range,” said Libby Henits, special licensing coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Henits noted that only individuals can be licensed to treat wildlife, meaning that Seifert actually holds the license rather than Squirrel Creek as an organization.
Seifert said he would like to see the licensing expand so he could keep animals on hand long term and add an educational component. Currently, he can typically keep an animal on site for about six months and can get special permission to hold a few longer so they can survive the winter.
“We would like to be able to maintain educational animals, but at this point the state doesn’t allow that kind of licensing, plus we would run out of space,” he said.
Seifert added that he is actively looking for real estate and would consider moving either the club or rescue should a good opportunity arise.
Pam Page is one of the more than 40 volunteers who currently help the organization.
Volunteers can do a range of things, from accounting to helping feed animals and can progress to actually treating wounds. Things really pick up for the group in late February through August, when many babies are brought in.
“Volunteers are critical. We could not survive without them, particularly in baby season,” Page said.
Seifert said he eventually would like to see a wildlife hospital in the state and added that while he has had some negative attention because of the swingers’ club, it’s been a good asset to help support the rescue.
“We are the largest swingers’ club in the country, but it also gave me a lot of networking opportunities,” he said. “People are connected in a lot of ways. The demographic is mostly upper middle class, and it helps me raise money.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or @joe_vacc
