Guest Post: Helping Domestic Animals

I am pleased to present a post by a guest blogger, Chris Rickett.

Hitting a little closer to home than what might usually be posted, but still just as important, is the care and protection of stray and domesticated animals such as cats and dogs.  The fact is ALL animals should be protected, not just endangered animals or animals that are considered wild.  This is accomplished through city and non-profit animal rescue organizations. There are two sides to this.  One is the adoption and/or fostering of such animals and the other is maintenance of the population of feral cats and dogs.

These organizations are always looking for volunteers and people to adopt an animal into their family.  Some great sites that can help you connect with these organizations include:

• PetFinder
• AdoptAPet
• All Paws

Having experience as volunteer with two different organizations:

• Friends of Arlington Animal Services (FAAS) in Arlington, Texas
• New Beginnings Cat Rescue (NBCR) in Garland, Texas

as well as, to date, a foster for 3 cats and 1 dog, I can honestly say that what these organizations provide services that are essential for animals’ welfare.

On the first part, there are multiple ways in which to acquire a pet, but none is more fulfilling than adopting through an animal rescue organization.  There are an uncountable number of these organizations that exist, and their main purpose is protecting and finding homes for stray animals. I believe cats and dogs are safer having a home with humans than being out in the streets where there are multiple road and weather hazards to contend with. Many of the animals that come through the doors are either young strays or pets that owners are no longer able to provide for, for one reason or another.  It is always the organizations’ hopes that these animals are adopted out to people who will care for and love them.

If you are a person who cannot commit to caring for a pet for its entire life, or you are a family with young kids and are unsure if they can handle the responsibility of having a pet, an alternative is fostering.

Animal rescues are always in need of people to house the large number of animals that come through their doors while they locate an animal’s “forever home”.  Fostering does have a downside to it, but it isn’t anything awful.  If a foster family becomes too attached to the animal they are fostering, it can become what is known as a “failed foster”, becoming a loving member of the family.

As stated, the other efforts that some organizations make include tracking and maintaining a certain population level of strays.  This is done through a process known as Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR).  For older animals that would not adjust well to human interactions, but are not considered nuisances in the neighborhoods they live, this organizations perform a service of capturing these animals, at which point they are neutered, and then released back to the areas in which trapped.  This allows them to happily live out their lives on their own, but without the risk of reproducing and increasing the area’s population.

Of these two services, the first is preferable, as it gets these animals off of the street and into a safe home, but the second is an acceptable option that does not harm the health of the animals and is beneficial to society.

Knowing the services provided, it is a hope that readers might take an active part in the lives of these animals.

–    Written by Christopher Rickett

 

 

 

Interview: Leann Schuler

Leann Schuler is a wildlife rehabilitator in Terrell, TX. She works with Crosstimbers Wildlife Ranch, but primarily rehabilitates dozens of orphaned animals on her own property from her own resources. I have always been inspired by her compassion and dedication for as long as I have known her.

Transcript:

What got you into wildlife rehabilitation?

“I was raised on a farm at home and my parents were both animal lovers, and what really got me started is we found on the side of the road 2 little raccoons, and we thought they were kittens. Just sitting on the side of the road, a little country road. So, we stopped and we were going to pick up these two little kittens, and long behold, they were two little raccoon babies! And, apparently, their mother had been killed, because when we picked them up they were crying and screaming and she never appeared on the scene.

So, we took them home and raised them. You know, we knew nothing. I was probably ten years old, and it was the most fascinating, heartwarming, wonderful experience of my life. We lived on a farm with 80 acres, so when they were old enough we just released them and they just ran all over the place with us, they were our little buddies. So, I always wanted to, in my adult life, do some sort of animal rehabilitation, because it was so enriching.”

What is your favorite story about an animal you have taken care of?

“I have done raccoon rehabilitation for many years, and I have one experience that comes to me. I had two young females that I raised one year, I named them Summer and Winter, and they graduated and went off into the wild, and the next year, I saw them from time to time, here and there, and I saw that Summer had babies. And she had two little kittens that would follow her around I just saw them here and there.

Well, that year, I did 30 racooons, 30 young babies, and I had them in this big huge cage, and when they got old enough, 2-3 months old, I opened the top of the cage so they could get out and climb in the tree all day and then I would call them down into the cage every night and lock them up so they were safe. And, I was working in Dallas at the time, so I would come home in the evening time and say “Come on, my babies, come on, my babies! Come down, come down!” and make them a big tray of food, and they would all come down, and I would sit there with them and we would all play and talk and eat.

Well, one day, I went out there tired, I came home, I rushed out there, I made them their big tray, and called “Come on babies, come on” and everybody came in. “One, two, three, four…. count up, everybody!… five, six, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two……… Wait a minute….. let me do it again, okay, one, two, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twentynine….thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two.” And I was like, I don’t have thirty two! I have thirty! What is going on!? It was nearly, nearly dark. And I thought, what is going on?

I looked past the tiger pen, and I saw Summer. She was dreadfully skinny, and she was just kind of wobbling. Then she looks up at me and it was like her eyes just were sending rays to me. I don’t know how to explain it, other than that. And, I could tell she said “I’m dying.” So, what she had done is she had sent her babies to me. The two extra ones were her babies. And they weren’t afraid of me. I had never touched them. I never got near them, because I didn’t want to. I wanted her to live her life, and I know she brought them to me so I could raise them for her.

And I never saw her again. So I know she died somewhere. So, those were my two extra babies, and they stayed with my kittens and grew a few more months, and then everyone was released into the wild. And she specifically did that, there was no doubting it.”

What is the reward in it for you?

“The reward is that they come to me as orphans and injuries, which means that they have zero chance of making it and having a life. And with all the effort that I put into them and give them, number one I can give them a happy childhood and hopefully can give them a happy life in the wild. But even more than that is the reward I get because of what they give to me. And its not something you can put… its not a tangible thing. They deposit love and something in your spirit that is kind oof hard to define, but it changes you, and it always stays with you in your heart.

I have a lot of animals, that is true, but I never give more than they give me. So it is so worth everything that I give them.”

What is one thing you would like people to know about wildlife or rehabilitating wildlife?

“I would like them to know that each little animal has a little personality, just like a child, has a little way that they feel happy and loved. I, as a comparison to deer hunters, I don’t think they realize they’re destroying a happy little life. These little deer play with each other, they know their mothers and sisters, they know each other, and to come in and just destroy their life….. I wish people knew what they were taking away, what they were robbing the world of and what they were robbing those little animals of.”

More Than a Sport: The Impact of Falconry

Perhaps one of the best examples of the impact of wildlife rehabilitation is through the art of Falconry. Falconry, also known as hawking, is the sport of hunting with raptors. This symbiotic relationship has helped mankind for thousands of years, and has had a major impact on the survival of many species of hawks, including saving the endangered Peregrine Falcon.

This partnership between man and beast dates back nearly as far back as civilization itself, with records indicating birds of prey being used by hunters in China in 2205 BC. Some evidence even suggests falconry may have origins 12,000 years ago, around the end of the last Ice Age. It became incredibly popular in Europe between 500 AD and 1600 AD. Many modern falconry techniques are very similar to their ancient origins, and these techniques from falconry have been used in raptor conservation for centuries (Ash, “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Falconry”).

Hawks face a very high mortality rate in the wild, both from natural and man-made causes. Most of the birds taken in by falconers are within their first year of life, where the survival rate is only about 10-30% (Ash, “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Falconry”). Training a bird for falconry is an excellent way of reconditioning them to be released back into the wild, and can have a huge impact for helping them recover from injuries. The birds are released in healthy condition with sharpened hunting skills to increase their chances of surviving and breeding in the wild, helping the whole population.

One of the most important impacts that falconers have had was in the restoration of the Peregrine Falcon populations. The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most powerful, amazing hunters, capable of astounding agility and reaching speeds of 200 miles per hour during their dives, making them the fastest bird in the world. Because of their awe-inspiring skill, they were beloved companions to falconers in North America. Tragically, Peregrine populations were decimated with the use of the popular pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, also known as DDT. Many species of birds, bats, and insects were affected by the use of DDT, but the Peregrine was particularly impacted due to being at the top of the food chain. The falcons would hunt birds that were contaminated with DDT, causing a buildup of it in the falcons’ systems, which ultimately caused weakened eggshells and low birthrates. The population of the Peregrine dropped to a mere 12% of what it had been. In 1970, the Peregrine Falcon was listed as endangered after the passing of the Endangered Species Conservation Act (The Nature Conservancy, “Peregrine Falcons”).

Passionate about the plight of the Peregrine Falcon, a falconer named Tom Cade started the Peregrine Fund. Through this, he and other falconers hatched, raised, bred, and reintroduced over 4000 Peregrine Falcons (O’Brien, “Success Stories”). The knowledge and experience of these falconers was a large reason for the successful reintroduction and recovery of the Peregrine Falcon. The falconers’ years of training equipped them with an understanding of the needs and behaviors of the Peregrine Falcon. They also had the most thorough knowledge of domestic breeding practices, necessary considering the fragile state of the Peregrine offspring (International Association For Falconry And Conservation Of Birds Of Prey, “Legislation”).

The reintroduction of the Peregrine involved a technique developed by falconers known as “hacking.” Hacking involves taking chicks from nest sites and placing them in protective boxes for several days. The boxes are placed at the top of a high cliff, similar to the environment the falcons would naturally be raised. They are fed, monitored, and cared for, and after time the boxes are open to allow the falcons to leave and hunt, refining their skills while still under the protection of their caretakers (United State National Park Service, “Falcon hacking”).

Due to the high number of predators at the cliffs, however, many the hacking projects were moved into urban areas. There were several benefits to this. Not only were there fewer predators for the falcons, but there was also a large prey base of starlings and other birds that were not contaminated by DDT. This was very successful and as Peregrine populations increased, they began to breed an reinhabit the cliffs (The Heartland Institute, “How Private Conservation Saved the Peregrine Falcon”).

The plight of the Peregrine Falcon is one of the most successful recoveries of an endangered species in North America to date. Peregrine Falcons now thrive and were removed from the endangered species list in 1999. Their amazing turnaround would not have been possible if not for the knowledge and passion of dedicated falconers, who proved that individuals can have a tremendous impact on an entire population.

Ash, L. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Falconry. The Modern Apprentice. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.themodernapprentice.com/questions.htm

Legislation. (n.d.). International Association For Falconry And Conservation Of Birds Of Prey. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.iaf.org/Legislation.php

O’Brien, D. (n.d.). Success Stories: When Is A Peregrine Like A Phoenix? Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org/falconer/man/ddt.htm

Peregrine Falcons. (n.d.). The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/peregrine-falcons.xml

How Private Conservation Saved the Peregrine Falcon. (1999, October 1). The Heartland Institute. Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/1999/10/01/how-private-conservation-saved-peregrine-falcon

United States National Park Service. (n.d.). Falcon hacking. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/falconhacking.htm

Interview: David Vassi from Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc

Growing up in the Hill Country, I lived along wild animals of all sorts. In Boerne, deer are as common to see in suburban lawns as squirrels are in DFW. With so many animals living in such close contact with people, there is a huge demand for wildlife rescue. Luckily, in the heart of the Hill Country is Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. This rescue organization has rehabilitated over 175000 animals since their founding in 1977, and currently rehabilitate about 5000-7000 animals per year. In this interview, I speak with David Vassi, an employee at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. Before you listen to the interview, however, David requested that I share with you this video of one of their most recent fawn releases.

What is the history behind the Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation center in Boerne? 

“It was founded in 1977, by a woman named Lynn Cuny. She worked out of her house. The first animal she rescued was a bobcat, and over time she became the neighborhood animal lady. Eventually she moved into a larger place.

Now we have about 250 acres in the Hill Country, north of San Antonio, and we have a lot of animals that are here for rehabilitation, in other words, they’re injured or they’re babies who are brought in by people who found them or were brought in by a cat or a dog. We also have a lot of permanent residents, animals who were someone’s pet, such as a pet monkey, a pet tortoise, animals that all of the sudden they couldn’t keep anymore. We have monkeys that have come from medical research, private zoos, roadside attractions, many who were confiscated by the authorities. I don’t know how many animals we have here now, we have hundreds of them. We have about 150 baby possums. another 150 squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, and maybe 100 more baby birds. This is baby season right now.”

What are some of the biggest challenges with Wildlife Rehabilitation?

“Well, many of the animals who here are babies. A lot of babies have special requirements. Tube fed, they can’t really eat on their own. Baby possums for instance attach themselves to a nipple inside the mouths of their mothers, and they don’t have developed mouth parts to eat any other way. Baby rabbits are very difficult to feed, they have to be tube fed when they are very young.

The people we have here are trained and experienced to be able to do that. We have a nutrition center, that we get food in donated from grocery stores, Walmart donates a lot of food to us. When it comes in, we have apprentices who take that food, separate it, cut it up into portions, and that’s a full time job.

We have monkeys outdoors and they are fed twice a day — bananas, corn, all the stuff that they like to eat. We have carnivores that we feed anything from mice that we have to buy for the purposes of feeding animals. Sometimes we will bring in roadkill, like a deer, that the game warden will bring to us. Sometimes we will get a cow or a horse that has to be put down, and we’ll feed that. We have mountain lions, African lions, wolves, bobcats, foxes, all of these animals require meat, so that is how we feed them. I guess that is the biggest challenge, having the right kind of stuff.

Many animals come in that are injured, hit by cars, they’ll have different conditions — skin conditions, eye infections, diarrhea. Different species have different things that they require. Its the whole picture, you know? No one thing, its everything here.”

How do you fund the facility?

“Totally 100% funded by donations. We don’t get any governement sponsorship, corporate sponsorship at all. We have a lot of loyal support from donations. We had a fundraiser a few weeks ago where we auctioned off material things that are donated, such as golf clubs, a massage, plane tickets, and we auction those off.

People come by and bring animals to us. We have a facility in San Antionio and that facility is just a small intake house and people bring animals to them. Every time they do, most of them will donate. It may only be $10 or $5, but it adds up. We are 100% funded by private donations. We get lots of donations from loyal members, and also just passers-by. People who come by, drop off an animal, and make a donation.

We participated in Earth Day last Saturday. There was a function at one of the parks, so we set up a booth and a table. There were other people there having to do with Earth Day. Everybody that came by our booth got literature and a sample of wildflower seeds and a lot of them gave donations right there.

Its an ongoing, never-ending process. We are a nationally known shelter. We have donors, members in all parts of the country. We have people from New York, Colorado, everywhere.”

If you would like to find out more about Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc or make a donation to their cause, please visit their website.

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc.

How to Know When a Wild Animal Needs Help

Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard Habitat

In my last post, I discussed the impact that humans can have on wildlife. Many people are unaware of the consequences their actions have on wildlife. However, you can play an active role in reversing some of these damages and help wildlife thrive. There are many things that you can do to help the wildlife around you. I would like to talk to you this week about creating a wildlife-friendly backyard. With some changes, you can ensure that your yard provides a safe haven for animals. Even urban environments can benefit from wildlife-friendly landscaping; in fact, urban areas are possibly the most important, as wildlife will have a hard time finding adequate shelter and food. In fact, Dallas is right in the center of Texas’s migratory bird funnel, meaning it is the path for a diverse range of unusual species (Jackson, 2013). Even in the heart of the city, Dallas is teeming with unseen wildlife, from small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Whether you have a large amount of land, or a small windowsill garden, inviting wildlife into your garden not only can give them a safe, comfortable place to survive, but can also be beneficial to you as well. For instance, bats and birds can help keep mosquitoes and other insects under control, as a single bat can eat about 1200 mosquitoes per hour (Mies, 2001).  Not to mention, you may find joy in simply observing your new wild neighbors.

There are a few things to consider before inviting wildlife into your garden. First off, will attracting wildlife expose them to other danger? If you have outdoor cats, for instance, you may not want to install a birdfeeder. Or if your home is very close to a busy road, you may not want to give animals reason to be crossing it frequently. Another consideration is that often by trying to attract certain kinds of wildlife, it is possible you may end up with an unexpected type of visitor, which you should be prepared for. Some animals, such as bobcats and coyotes, can potentially be dangerous to encounter (Jackson, 2007). For example, you may find that instead of sparrows, there is a snake living in your birdhouse, or that your feeders attract raccoons at night. Another thing to consider is that certain things, such as providing food and water, animals will start to rely on. If you choose to make these resources accessible, you need to ensure that you continue to so that you do not end up making them dependent on something that gets taken away. It is important to make smart choices when it comes to wildlife, and sometime the best solution, rather than attracting animals, is keeping them safely away and ensuring you minimize potential for harm. I will discuss more on this in a few  minutes.

But, for now lets assume that you want to attract wildlife to your yard.  The basic needs are food, water, cover, and nesting.  You will need your garden to have sufficient shelters and escape routes for animals to stay safe from predators (“Gardening Tips”). One way to do this is to plan native trees, shrubs, and grasses. Not only will these plants create habitats for wildlife, but native species will typically be fairly low maintenance to care for. They will be less susceptible to disease and have lower water demands.  You will want to create a good variety of shrubs, canopy, and ground cover in order to create habitats for a variety of animals. Not only that, but the seeds, nuts, nectar, sap, and berries from many of these native plants should suffice to provide food to many of the animals inhabiting your yard. It is not encouraged to leave out large amounts of food for wildlife, as they can become dependent on the handouts and it can cause issues with your neighbors. That said though, these plants should help meet some of their food needs through natural, native sources.

In addition to native plants for shelter, you may want to provide some artificial shelters. This can require some research depending on what species you are trying to attract. One easy and beneficial type of shelter, as I alluded to before, is a bat shelter. Bats play a critical role in controlling insects and pollinating flowers, but sadly, about 40% of bar populations are in danger of going extinct. Bats suffer greatly from loss of natural habitats, and have difficulty recovering due to their slow reproduction rates. If you want to help provide shelter for bats, you can start by leaving any dead trees in your yard as long as they are not a hazard. Bats love to nest in the layers between bark and the trunk of a tree. Alternatively, bat shelters are very simple to create. You can construct a bat house from cedar or plywood. They should be about 2 feet tall, but relatively flat, to emulate the separation between the bark of a tree and its trunk (Mies, 2001). The inside should be lined with grooves for the bats to latch on to  and caulk should be used to seal the edges for warmth. For more details, BatConservation.org has a fantastic video showing you how to build one.

Like I mentioned earlier, though, there are sometimes situations where it is not appropriate to necessarily attract wildlife. You can still, however, make certain that your yard is not doing them harm. First, use only non-toxic products in your yard. Often, pesticides and weed killers have more negative impact on bats, birds, and bees than the benefit you gain from killing the bugs. Keep trash and compost secured to prevent animals from getting into it. In addition, be aware of litter and pick up any refuse that you find that could harm wildlife.  You should close off all chimneys, vents, and spaces under your house. Often, animals will enter these to find shelter and will either get trapped or cause damage to your property. For birds, one of the most important things that you can do is keep your windows either covered by blinds or curtains, or leave them slightly dirty. Many of us have all seen the Windex commercial with the crows hitting the glass, but the sad truth is this is a leading cause of death for birds.

Whether you are looking to attract wildlife into your backyard safe haven, or simply wanting to prevent conflict with them, your actions can have a huge impact on the wild animals in urban and suburban environments. Taking steps to live harmoniously with wildlife can be rewarding and beneficial. However, always remember that even in your backyard, wildlife still belongs in the wild. You can do your part to help them, but you should never attempt to keep or raise wildlife yourself. If you think an animal needs help, contact a rehabilitator. However, you can still enjoy their company in your eco-friendly backyard.

Build Your Own Bat House. (2012, January 24). Retrieved March 12, 2015, from http://www.batconservation.org/bat-houses/build-your-own-bat-house

Gardening Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips.aspx

Jackson, C., & Salinas, N. (2013). Introduction. In In Your Backyard: Discovering Urban Wildlife. Dallas, Texas: House & Home. Retrieved From https://books.google.com/books?id=MmKRBQAAQBAJ&pg=PP12&lpg=PP12&dq=dallas+landscaping+for+wildlife&source=bl&ots=y1BsdxRRYk&sig=NYkEIBDRfp2yMoyvwaPvz581zE8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_TwzVf2OIMzOgwSC6YC4BQ&ved=0CGwQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=dallas%20landscaping%20for%20wildlife&f=false

Jackson, M. (2007, March 1). Managing Urban Wildlife Becoming Critical in Growing Cities, Suburbs. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.nhnct.org/pdf_files/Urban_Wildlife_and_People.pdf

Mies, R. (2001, August 1). Control Insects By Bolstering Your Bat Habitat. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/control-insects-bat-habitat.aspx?PageId=1

Reese, B. (n.d.). Natural Beauties: A guide to native and adapted drought-tolerant plants that thrive in Dallas with minimal watering. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from https://savedallaswater.com/pdf/naturalbeauties_eng.pdf

The Human-Wildlife Conflict

What is Wildlife Rehabilitation and Why is it Important?

Welcome to Impacting Wildlife, my blog about Wildlife Rehabilitation. I have been volunteering helping with wildlife rehabilitation for about 3 years now and am very passionate about helping animals. I have created this blog to educate people about the work done by wildlife rehabilitators, share stories from working with wildlife, and offer advice and suggestion about how you can support wildlife rehabilitation and make a difference for wildlife.

Wildlife rehabilitation is the practice of treating, sheltering, and caring for injured and orphaned wild animals in order to release them back into the wild. The impact of wildlife rehabilitation goes beyond just the individual animals saved. The impact of wildlife rehabilitation goes beyond just the individual animals saved. Much of the research from rehabilitation can make a huge difference for conservation as a whole, learning more about the factors impacting wildlife and the techniques necessary to care for certain species. Rehabilitation also makes an impact in educating the public about the impact that they have and how they can minimize their own negative impacts on local wildlife.

Wild animals live all around us, though often go unnoticed until they are injured or sick. Often times, this is just nature, and sometimes it is best to let nature run its course with minimal interference. However, with humans encroaching on habitats and interfering with ecosystems, a large majority of these injuries are from human causes, such as vehicular accidents, nest destruction, window collisions, etc.. There are many dangers for wildlife as human influence spreads into their habitats. Wildlife rehabilitation serves to try to undo some of this negative impact so we can help restore some of the balance in nature that has been disturbed. In fact, according to the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, 75% of the animals cared for by rehabilitators were affected by some sort of human activity.[2]

Not only does wildlife rehabilitation help individual animals in the immediate ecosystem, but it also serves as research that can help large scale conservation efforts, or in case the of crisis. Wildlife Rehabilitation is a combination of veterinary science, biology, ecology, animal behavior, and other fields. There is a lot that can be learned from working directly with wildlife. Through the direct care of more common wildlife, rehabilitators are able to find the best practices for caring for certain animals, which can have a huge impact for preserving endangered species when the risk is much higher. Wildlife rehabilitation can also have a huge impact for public health. Often, wildlife rehabilitators are the first to notice changes in disease patterns, which can be very important to prevent further spread. Rehabilitators are also often the first to notice the impact of environmental changes, such as more injured birds due to them relocating due to deforestation. This information can be invaluable to the scientific community, giving them a head start to addressing issues early on. [1]

The impact of wildlife rehabilitation goes much further than merely helping individual animals. It can have an important impact in counteracting the damaging effects to wildlife. Many wildlife rehabilitators dedicate themselves to educating the public, teaching us how to live peacefully alongside wildlife without doing unintentional damage. I hope that you will enjoy the information in this blog, and that it will build appreciation for all the hard work done by rehabilitators to help wildlife.

1. “Facts about NWRA”. http://www.nwrawildlife.org/content/facts-about-nwra. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association. Retrieved 2015.
2. “Wildlife health and rehabilitation”. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/wildlifehealth.html. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2014. Retrieved 2014.