Saturday, June 30, 2012

OK, I'm really ready for things to slow down........

Wow, is all I can say.  Things are so busy here, made more so due to all the wildfires burning here in Utah.  They are all around us and have affected one of my volunteers in Utah County.  We were already picking up a good part of the animals in need of our care, but our wildlife officers are out there helping with the wildfires so they are mostly unavailable, which means more traveling, something extremely difficult to do right now since our patients need us here.
I worry so much for the animals that are terrified and confused as to what is happening to their world.  No place to run that humans aren't occupying, so where do they go?  The babies that CAN'T get away, unable to fly yet.....it's so sad.  
We are completely full, but any animal needing our care will get it.  Just don't know where we can put them, but we will work that out as needed. 
Five nestling Great Horned owls, some at the branching stage.  Screech owl juveniles, Barn owl juveniles, 7 Golden eagles, all with various injuries ranging from critical to some that just need some time to get stronger and take a rest.
Baby Sparrows, more Starlings and Robins, some as small as only a couple of days old.  Several Red-Tail hawks and Kestrels.  I think I've made my point!  We are full!
All of this equals a lot of medical supplies, medications and food, of course.  Our food costs alone right now, are around $75.00 per day.  That's just food, not vet care or medications.
We have a PayPal account to help with all of these daily expenses on our blog. 
I will post some pictures showing just some of the angels in our care and that your contributions can help.  Remember, all wildlife rehabilitation is unpaid.  We work for free, 24 hours a days, 7 days a week.  All monies donated go 100% to the wildlife needs in our care.
Thank you,     Enjoy the photo's.












Debbie

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

I guess I have to repeat myself.......

We are very busy with orphan season and I say this all the time, but I still get people that call regarding orphaned wildlife that think they can 'raise' the baby properly themselves, keeping it wild and teaching it what it needs to know to be successful in the wild.  PEOPLE, quit being selfish.  This isn't a 'fun project' you and your family can 'do'.  This is a life that you know nothing about.  Stop thinking about yourself and put the orphan first.  We didn't learn everything it is we know about our profession from an email asking someone to 'tell us how to do it'.  It takes years and even now, we are still learning as this information we have learned and studied, changes every year, just like human medicine, with updated proceedures and diets.  It's so frustrating, knowing these animals will most likely die at the hands of selfish people; completely preventable.  Wildlife rehabilitation is a true profession, not a hobby!


Feathered brothers and sisters, you came to us broken and as you bled…….we saw you desperate, dehydrated, desiccated, diseased, distressed, emaciated, famished, frayed, frightened, helpless, hungry, ragged, ravenous, shaken, shocked, shot, sickly, stressed, stunned, tattered, thirsty, traumatized, torn, weary and wounded. Defiantly, you stood us off with your last breath as we tried to tend to you. We saw you come in as cute, naked, fuzzy, cuddly youth, as mischievous, defiant adolescents, as fierce, regal rulers of the sky and as cunning, maimed elders whose time on earth was almost done. You endeared yourselves to us, bit us, charmed us, footed us, delighted us, hissed at us, talked to us, mantled at us, and graced us with your presence.

Some of you mended and were able to go on your way, never looking back. Some of you were injured in ways that prevented you from going, so you stayed with us to teach us…….And we came to love you. Others were too far gone, and you went home - where you fly free from pain with the Great One. All of you have touched us, and we are changed because of you.

used with permission by Arlene Powers


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