Folks, by terms of our permits, all rehabbers can do is explain how to secure wildlife and keep it safe until you can get it to us; we cannot give care advice. It’s illegal for non-licensed individuals—and dangerous, when you don’t have the proper safety gear—and could cost us our permits. I’d rather have the public mad at me than lose my permits, y’all, so pardon me if your huffing and puffing doesn’t faze me.
Also, please remember we’re not state or federal employees; we don’t get paid to rehab (aside from a few folks who work at larger centers). Your wildlife is ONE of many we get calls about. We cannot drive all over the state picking up whatever you have and still properly maintain the wildlife currently under our care AND hold down our paying jobs, as well.
Lemme give you an example: If I get 5 calls in one day (not unusual during raptor baby season)—from Macon, Forsyth, Eatonton, Douglas, and Statesboro, to randomly pick a few towns north and south of LWR—how can I reasonably be expected to drive to all these locations—each at least an hour away—in one day, feed and medicate the birds in my care, and perform the duties of my paying job? Yet each of these callers would have ONE trip to make, not five. THIS is why I and other rehabbers ask callers to bring the wildlife to us. Logistically, it makes more sense.
Anyway…off the soapbox, and we’ll see if the barred actually makes it to LWR this evening…