It’s an often-touted statistic that 50% of wildlife entering a rehab facility won’t leave alive due to the nature of their injuries/illnesses. It’s also a source of frustration, heartbreak and burnout for rehabbers, especially when factored in with the stubborn determination of the public to continue to allow their cats and dogs to roam freely, mauling wildlife right and left. These same irresponsible people are outraged when Fluffy or Fido drags in a bird or a squirrel or a rabbit. They then call a rehabber to take the injured critter and offer praise and kudos but no financial support for our efforts, which we fund mostly from our own meager budgets. This is why for a state the size of Georgia—the largest state in land area east of the Mississippi, with 159 counties—there are generally fewer than 100 licensed rehabbers at any given time and many counties don’t have even one licensed rehabber. Rehabbers suffer what’s now called “compassion fatigue”, run out of money to fund their rehab efforts, or just get tired of dealing with the above-referenced irresponsible public.
People, let me remind you again of the expenses incurred in rehabilitating YOUR native wildlife—YOUR legacy to future generations:
It takes about $100 to rehab a single squirrel; around $45 per songbird (a little over a dollar a day for as long as the bird is in rehab); about $450 per deer; somewhere around $75 per possum; about $60 per rabbit who survives to be released, and I can’t even break down the cost for raptors—a SMALL order of rats and mice for raptors in rehab runs a MINIMUM of $300, and that supply must be replenished often, depending on the number of raptors that come in. These amounts cover species-specific formulas; feeding implements; supplements; fruits, seeds and vegetables; bedding; caging; and medicines if needed. They don't include gas to pick up an animal or transport it to the vet if need be, nor do they include memberships in the NWRA nor species accounts and other informational books, pamphlets and brochures that provide valuable insights into the minds of the animals LWR rehabs and their habits in the wild.
Once again, let me remind you—rehabbers pay these expenses out of their own pockets and from the very few donations they receive from the public. Using LWR as an example, we received 208 intakes in 2011. If we had received a measly $20 per intake from the people bringing them to us, the resultant funds would have covered about HALF our expenses. Rehabbers cannot request money for taking the animals, nor can we refuse to take an animal without a donation—either action would cost us our rehab permits. We can merely suggest that a donation, while not required, would be helpful.
Please keep the above information in mind whenever you utilize the services of ANY rehabber in ANY state, and donate generously to their efforts. As I’ve said often in this space, kudos and attaboys/girls don’t fill furry bellies or feathered crops.
Why the rant right at the beginning? Two reasons—it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve lost too many critters that I desperately tried to save, and there’s been a great deal of conversation this week among fellow rehabbers expressing near-burnout sentiments.
Now, off the soapbox and on to a mixed update…
People, let me remind you again of the expenses incurred in rehabilitating YOUR native wildlife—YOUR legacy to future generations:
It takes about $100 to rehab a single squirrel; around $45 per songbird (a little over a dollar a day for as long as the bird is in rehab); about $450 per deer; somewhere around $75 per possum; about $60 per rabbit who survives to be released, and I can’t even break down the cost for raptors—a SMALL order of rats and mice for raptors in rehab runs a MINIMUM of $300, and that supply must be replenished often, depending on the number of raptors that come in. These amounts cover species-specific formulas; feeding implements; supplements; fruits, seeds and vegetables; bedding; caging; and medicines if needed. They don't include gas to pick up an animal or transport it to the vet if need be, nor do they include memberships in the NWRA nor species accounts and other informational books, pamphlets and brochures that provide valuable insights into the minds of the animals LWR rehabs and their habits in the wild.
Once again, let me remind you—rehabbers pay these expenses out of their own pockets and from the very few donations they receive from the public. Using LWR as an example, we received 208 intakes in 2011. If we had received a measly $20 per intake from the people bringing them to us, the resultant funds would have covered about HALF our expenses. Rehabbers cannot request money for taking the animals, nor can we refuse to take an animal without a donation—either action would cost us our rehab permits. We can merely suggest that a donation, while not required, would be helpful.
Please keep the above information in mind whenever you utilize the services of ANY rehabber in ANY state, and donate generously to their efforts. As I’ve said often in this space, kudos and attaboys/girls don’t fill furry bellies or feathered crops.
Why the rant right at the beginning? Two reasons—it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve lost too many critters that I desperately tried to save, and there’s been a great deal of conversation this week among fellow rehabbers expressing near-burnout sentiments.
Now, off the soapbox and on to a mixed update…
The poor little gosling, who really shouldn’t have survived overnight, was a happy albeit slow little fellow for two days before succumbing to numerous issues related to his difficult hatch, discussed at length last week.
We received two more possums, who as of this writing are doing quite well. And yes, I’m aware there’s only one in the photo. They refuse to cooperate and stay close enough together for a decent shot of both. They’re at the age to lap formula from a shallow dish, in addition to eating various soft foods, so I rarely see them out of their hideout during the day. They have healthy appetites, though—the food I place in their cage near dusk is nearly all gone the next morning!
Earlier this week, LWR received two hatchling barn owls. One was found on the ground covered with maggot eggs and with active maggots in his beak; the other, younger by about 5 days, was still in the nest. (Barn owls stagger their egg-laying so the babies hatch up to 5 days apart.) Both were ice cold and crying piteously for food. We have no idea what happened to the parents or any other possible sibs.
Barnies require special skills that I quite frankly don’t possess yet, so I called Steve Hicks of Bubba & Friends while I was cleaning him to arrange a transfer for the next morning. After cleaning the older sib for two hours, I finally had him egg- and maggot-free. Once they were both good and warm, I offered small bits of food laced liberally with rehydrating solution. They were able to keep it down, but the older sib then pooped a nasty, smelly poop and threw up more live maggots. I was on the phone with Steve later that night, discussing the birds’ condition, when the older sib died. The younger sib made it through the night but died en route to Bubba & Friends the next morning.
Rehabbers remind ourselves frequently that in Nature’s eyes these animals are dead the moment a human can touch them. We attempt to give them a second chance at life, and about half the time, we succeed. This is my mantra, but sometimes—this week, especially—it feels more like a tired and overused platitude.
The mocker is in the flight pen now and should be good for release sometime next week, maybe sooner.
The mocker is in the flight pen now and should be good for release sometime next week, maybe sooner.
And Beaver Butt continues to grow and whine. Such a brat! Still no pals or permanent placement, either, although I’m still putting out feelers. The longer he’s without a pal to learn beaver social skills with, the lower his chances at a successful release, and I’m honestly not set up properly to care for him for the next two years, so I’ll continue to seek a long-term solution for the lovable brat.
Thanks to all of you who posted kind reviews at Great Nonprofits—your support helped LWR win a 2012 Green Award, which means additional exposure to potential donors. No guarantees, of course, but exposure helps!
And finally, this column on dandelions was in the GA DNR newsletter, and as a dandelion fan, I found it quite interesting: http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/3007 . Read and enjoy!
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