Best wild-bird lady

Brianna Abeyta is a hard person to get in contact with—unless you are an injured wild bird. That's because Abeyta works nine to 12 hours a day as the Wildlife Care Association's facility manager, the second largest wildlife rescue in the state. Most of the 500-800 animals at WCA are birds, and the 31-year-old is utterly devoted to nursing them back to health. “This is a field you are throwing youself into the fire, and you are working crazy-long hours, and you are doing it all because this little creature is dependent upon your help,” she said. She's been volunteering and working at the nonprofit for most of her adult life, and now she oversees the operations at WCA, which relies on volunteers and funds from the public—funds which were dangerously low earlier this year. With a budget shortfall of about $70,000, the WCA was weeks away from closing its doors and having to euthanize all of its wards. But the Sacramento SPCA and the city both donated $10,000 each—plus some private donations—giving the birds and other animals a second chance. “I'll continue to do [this] for the rest of my life. It means more to me than anything in the whole world,” she said. Wildlife Care Association, 5211 Patrol Road in McClellan; (916) 965-9453; www.wildlifecareassociation.com. S.