Hello all, I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for fundraisers when it comes to wildlife rehab.
My situation: A few weeks each summer, I volunteer for the ARK, a small wildlife rehabilitation center in mid-Michigan. This place is completely non-profit, and is funded largely out of the owner's own pocket. As anyone who has volunteered in wildlife rehab can attest, supplies are not cheap, and the ARK also has the disadvantage of being located in the county with one of the highest unemployment rates in Michigan, so the local community cannot donate much. In the past, the ARK has tried all the usual fundraising ideas, such as garage sales, bake sales, car washes, etc, but hasn't brought in much money. I'd be absolutely devastated if the ARK had to close its' doors, as the woman who runs it is one of the kindest, most selfless human beings I've ever met, and there's no doubt to my mind that this center provides essential wildlife conservation and education services.
I feel so helpless, as aside from winning the lotto (ha!), there's really nothing I can do money-wise. Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks!
Pictures of some of this year's wee beasties under the cut...

( Read more...Collapse )

A week ago, I got a phone call from a homeowner, Sam, who had a mother raccoon and her baby kits living in his attic. When I talked to him, a trapper had come and caught the mother, but the babies were still stuck up in the attic. After being without their mom (and thus, without nourishment) for three days, I told him that we were on a race against the clock to get the babies out before they died of dehydration. If he could get the babies out of his attic, I would take them. If he could get the mother back from the trapper (who was keeping her until they figured out what to do), then I would take her, too.

On Thursday, he called me with fantastic news - he had gotten three raccoon kits out of his attic and the trapper had given him the mother. He and his wife, Sharon, were awesome enough to meet me at my office to give me the four raccoons - the babies in one box and the mother in the have-a-heart trap. I was so anxious on the drive home with these guys - I've never taken in a mother and her babies before, let alone reunited a mother with her kits, so I was unsure what to expect. Plus, the mother was SO upset that she could hear her babies in the box next to get, but couldn't get to them. When I got home, I prepared a temporary cage for her outside and then reunited her with the babies. She was upset to be in a cage, but very, very relieved to have her babies with her.

Over the next couple of days, I made sure she had food, water, a litter pan, and food for the babies in case her milk had dried up and she was no longer able to nurse them. I tried to keep my distance as much as possible so I didn't stress her out any more than she already was.

On Sunday, Sam called me up again because he heard more chirping in the attic and found baby #4. We met up and I took the baby home to momma raccoon. As soon as I put baby #4 in the cage with the mother, Sam called again because - you got it - he found baby #5. We met up again and I reunited the mother with this baby, too.

By that point, I could tell that the mother really wanted to get out of the cage. She was anxious about being in there, searching around for a way out. I didn't want to risk her freaking out so much that when she left, she wouldn't take her babies with her. I opened up the cage door for her and added a portable fence to the front of the cage so hopefully the babies wouldn't escape on their own. She scoped out our farm and came back a couple of hours later to collect her babies and take them to her new home.

Here's the video of her grabbing each baby and taking them to the tree hollow where they now live. It's not too far away from our house (I was taking this video outside my bedroom window), so I'm still able to keep an eye on her and feed her until she finds enough food on her own.

hey you guys!

i hope you can HELP me!

i have two baby mice here that a coworker found in his engine!

they are brand new babies. they havent even opened their eyes.

animal control isnt in. the officer i spoke with told me that even if he was, he wouldnt take them. and then he told me to kill them!

im waiting to hear back from a few local wildlife rehabilitators i called that i found on the inland fisheries and wildlife section of my state government's web page.

but if no one calls me back, i guess i will have to take them home.

i read online that you can feed them kitten formula.

i built them a warm nest from hot water bags and face cloths, so they should be warm enough.

but i dont knwo what else to do.

another thing is, im allergic to rodents! i had a pet rat once, and that didnt bother me. but once i bought a hampster, and had to be rushed to the doctors. so, i dont know how i will react to mice.

any help would be so appreciated!

The Center for Rehabilitation of Oregon Wildlife needs your help! We are in the running to receive a $50,000 grant from Pepsi! Please visit refresheverything.com/crow and click "vote for this idea" then register (once), then return and vote everyday, once a day! Thank you for your support! If we receive this grant we will be opening our center by this time next year in SE Portland. Please help us help Oregon Wildlife!

Goals
To rehabilitate injured, orphaned, and diseased wildlife.
To train others in rehabilitation skills
To educate the public on the importance of protecting wildlife
To promote conservation of all wildlife and wildlife habitat
To provide the public with environmentally friendly pest control

Overview
The "Center for Rehabilitation of Oregon Wildlife" or "CROW" project will be devoted to the conservation of Oregon's wildlife, and their habitats. The center will work closely with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as other local and statewide organizations to meet our goals of rehabilitating wildlife and releasing them back into the wild. The center will provide environmentally friendly pest and animal control, while at the same time educating homeowners how to live harmoniously with wildlife in their neighborhoods.We will provide environmental education to the public including summer camps, center tours, and bird outings.

Deliverables

Environmental education for over 5,000 adults and children emphasizing respect for wildlife, their habitats, and one another.

Care for over 3,000 injured, ill, and orphaned wild animals

Emergency response for wildlife affected by oil spills and natural disasters in our region.

Here is what happens when someone throws a cup out their window. What you see being cut off of this baby skunk is a domed lid from a drink. The skunk, dubbed Mercedes after the car of the man who saved her, was likely trying to lick the inside of the cup. She was lucky(?) enough that the lid was so tight on her body that maggots couldnt feed on her.
Graphic pics behind the cut for the folks who get woozy.




the culprit

( Read more...Collapse )

She is now on antibiotics, and being cleaned twice a day. Poor thing. Shes only about 4m old, too. The man who caught her has been trying to do so for 3 days, since he first saw her. He stayed up til 3am to get her. She is a lucky little stinker.

Just a quick note to let you know I met up with your friend from Cambridge today and retrieved the little squirrel.
Hes doing well, if a little dehydrated. Thanks for the tip. :)

Is anyone here located near Cambridge, MA? An acquaintance found an injured baby squirrel. Its got a cut on its leg and might need antibiotics due to a fly strike. I'm halfway across the country and am unable to help other than by providing advice.

I'm getting back into the rehab scene after being out of it for over four years (living in an apartment will do that to you!). However, my husband and I have just moved out to my family's farm, so I'm slowly getting back into rehabbing. I'm starting to go through all of my old rehab supplies and I'm realizing that I'm really lacking in the medicinal department.

I'm licensed for small mammals and rabies prone species (bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bobcats here in Georgia). So, what drugs should I stock up on?

Or heard of a correlation between repeated iso exposure and feather loss?

I heard it through the grapevine, but I can't find anything online, so I was wondering if anyone else had heard this.

Thanks!