Dave Siddon Jr., director of Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center near Grants Pass, met with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, right, and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, during the governor's One Oregon Listening Tour in August at the center. Wildlife Images announced this week it was closing until Feb. 2 due to staffing issues and that it was hiring a new operations director.

Wildlife Images Rehabilitation & Education Center, a popular tourist attraction near Grants Pass, abruptly announced the cancellation of their public holiday event and closed its doors to visitors this week until Feb. 2, citing unforeseen staffing issues. Employees will continue providing animal care.

“Due to a sudden and significant change in staffing to our front of house, we were forced to make the difficult decision to close the park until February,” the center announced on Monday via social media.

Just a few days earlier, the center was promoting its Wild Winter Wonderland holiday event.

Requests for comment were not returned.

In the wake of the closure, the nonprofit center also announced the hiring of a new operations director, Amy Webb, who “will focus on creating a more sustainable operating structure.”

“Amy is joining us as we regroup and hire a new front-of-house staff who embraces the new ideas and changes moving forward,” the announcement stated. “The change in front of house staff is what forced us to close the park until February.”

Webb most recently served as an event planner for Rogue Winterfest, a popular holiday fundraiser featuring professionally decorated Christmas trees, an auction and family activities at Evergreen Bank’s Bear Hotel in Grants Pass.

Wildlife Images was founded in 1981 by wildlife rehabilitator J. David Siddon and is now under the direction of his son, Dave Siddon, Jr. The center’s employees care for and treat sick, injured and orphaned wildlife and provide educational programs on wildlife, conservation and the environment.

The center, which typically offers daily public tours, is located on 24 acres of land adjacent to the Rogue River, at 11845 Lower River Road. It has a clinic, animal sanctuary and animal exhibits featuring birds of prey, mammals and reptiles.