WEATHERFORD — Birgit Sommer and her husband are excited about plans for their modest home just outside Weatherford city limits.

Sommer, a brand new Weatherford resident, estimates she had about 300 wild animals visiting her Stephenville home last year.

Sometimes she cared for as many as 50 or 60 creatures at once, mostly orphaned wildlife babies, through her 501c3 nonprofit Rainbow Wildlife Rescue.

A field behind the house and small fenced yard stands empty except for stacks of large metal cages and mesh piled in and near two outbuildings but it’s full of opportunity for the couple.

Sommer helps many different critters — usually it’s orphaned babies who need a helping hand to reach adulthood, but sometimes her animals include an owl with a bloody face and scratched eyeball or a pregnant jack rabbit with pellet wounds and facial injuries.

Orphaned squirrels and opossums are common, Sommer said. The babies carried by an opossum hit by a car on the side of the road might survive inside their mother’s pouch, Sommer explained.

“Nothing feels any more right to let an animal go back into the wild,” Sommer said. “Even if it gets eaten.”

Other animals she cares for are not so common.

Sommer has a passion for helping coatimundis, a type of South American raccoon-like creature.

Their living quarters must be kept heated during certain times of the year because they don’t do well in temperatures below 40 degrees, Sommer said.

Wild animals aren’t the only animals that have found a home with Sommer’s help.

In addition to the wildlife rescue nonprofit, she helps run a pet rescue group to save animals that are in danger of being euthanized.

She has three rescued dogs and two cats at home.

Doogle, a friendly, light-colored chihuahua, was living in a bird cage when he was rescued, Sommer said.

Sommer brings Oliver, a large, obedient, friendly dog, visit nursing homes.  

She recently got her raccoon Freddy licensed as a wildlife ambassador. Sommer said she visits schools and groups with the ‘coon to teach people about the wild creatures and discourage them keep them as pets.

“It’s a little bit hypocritical,” Sommer said.

“Of all the 100s of raccoons I’ve rehabbed, he just never turned wild,” Sommer said, who suspects he may have some type of Down’s Syndrome.

Sommer, who grew up in Germany, said she has been helping animals all her life.

She is a bit proud of the only ticket on her record -- a citation costing her $155 given to her by a game warden for illegal possession of a squirrel.

The ticket did prompt her to seek licensing as a wildlife rehabilitator in 2004.

It’s much easier to get a permit to kill wild animals than it is to get licensed to help them, Sommer said.

People from 46 counties across the state have brought her orphaned or injured animals to help, Sommer said.

It keeps her busy, too, especially during the baby season.

Baby birds have to be fed every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and young possums need to be fed every two hours, even throughout the night, according to Sommer.

Phone calls also keep her busy.

Most of the time it’s people wanting to know how to take care of an animal and she tries to refer them to her website, www.rainbowwildlife.com, that has detailed instructions for caring for different types of animals. Shortly after they began moving, a girl showed up at her house holding a bird.

“I just don’t know how to say no,” Sommer said.

That’s one of the reasons they’ve moved the nonprofit to the Weatherford area.

Their former home, located on a two-lot city corner in Stephenville, was often full so they are excited about the possibilities for their new county home.  

They hope to obtain a frame to build a 60-foot flight cage for hawks and owls.

Aviary mesh has already been donated by a Florida zoo, Sommer said.  

They also plan to erect a couple 8- by 8-foot cages for opossums and squirrels and a smaller flight cage for song birds.

Even the small in-ground pool has possibilities for the animals.

Butter, an old, golden lab with mobility problems, has been getting her exercise in the clear water.

When the enclosures are set up again, Sommer said she will have to go through the permitting process that includes paperwork and an inspection of the new location from the game warden.

Sommer said she could use help from groups or individuals who can help move additional materials from Stephenville or set up the enclosures.