The Humane Society of the United States announced Friday that the Cape Wildlife Center will continue operating through the winter months, a reprieve that will allow residents and officials time to develop a long-term plan after it said last week that the center would close this month.

The Humane Society announced last week that it would shut down the center on Nov. 18, a move animal welfare advocates said would leave more than 2,000 animals with no care. The extension allows it to remain open on a streamlined basis until March 1.

The center will provide emergency care and rehabilitation services, and will depend on trained volunteers to aid the staff that remain, giving other agencies a chance to work together on a plan to continue wildlife rehabilitation services on the Cape, said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive officer of The Humane Society, in a statement.

The extension was made possible by a partnership between the Humane Society, which runs the center, and the Pegasus Foundation, an organization that works for animal welfare and has set up a fund seeking donations for the center on its website, according to the statement.

“I’m immensely grateful to [Pegasus founder] Barbara Birdsey and others for stepping up and allowing Cape Wildlife Center to operate during the winter months, albeit in a streamlined manner,’’ said Pacelle, in the statement.

“We’ve always believed in the extraordinary work of the center, but just haven’t been able to get enough people to invest in this life-saving work,’’ Pacelle said. “Maybe that changes starting today.’’

Dylan McGuinness can be reached at dylan.mcguinness@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DylMcGuinness.