Furry Friday
Story: I attended a Wildlife Rehabilitation conference last weekend (and again tomorrow too). I learned a lot of cool stuff. Some of it about rabbits and raccoons was the kind of awesomely gross stuff that would only be appropriate to share among friends while drinking beer at a pub! *laugh*
I also practiced repairing a turtle shell. I donned rubber gloves, picked up a hand drill, and worked on an old (dead, empty) turtle shell. They work like geodesic domes, so if you can get the outer rim of the shell to connect properly then everything else just sort of fits together on its own. I drilled through the bone shell, tied a wire to secure the plates together, then sealed it off watertight with a neat clear plastic film from 3M. On another shell, I applied a loose netting and then I layered a quick-drying epoxy over the top. Fun stuff. Drilling bone is as painful for turtles as it is for us, so doing this procedure on a live animal requires first using anesthetic on the critter.
Animals: Zoe needs a friend. Zhey has been on the adoption floor for a week or two. Zheir age (11 years) and coat (plain alley cat) may keep this spayed female from finding a new home as quickly as the younger and flashier cats. Zoe is in a cage that faces the main door to the cat adoption area. Half of the time when I enter the room, Zoe will softly meow once to get my attention for some petting. Zhey is very friendly but not rambunctious about it. I think Zoe deserves a warm lap to spend many lazy afternoons with someone.
When I first saw Norbert, I thought that there was a cat that had surely seen better days! Norbert has most of zheir tail hair shaved off, although I don't know why. On closer inspection, though, I began to wonder if maybe zhey hadn't seen better days. Maybe this was finally "the good life" for the 3-year-old neutered male. Norbert has old scars on zheir nose, bits of ear lost in previous fights, lots of dense muscle in those very pettable shoulders and chin, and a few healed wounds buried underneath that fur.
The paperwork didn't explain much. I think zhey came in to us straight from the streets, but zhey has certainly overcome the disadvantage of living a rough life in the city. Norbert will enthusiastically roll up against my hand and arm for petting. Most cats get hissy when someone else is in their way on one of the tree pole ledges in the community cat rooms. Norbert, though, was almost dainty in trying to avoid stepping on another cat while getting closer to me for some petting. My own cat doesn't tolerate being kissed on the forehead, but Norbert seems to like it. Norbert is a tough cat with a good heart.
As of this writing, Zoe and Norbert are both available for visitation and adoption in our Golden Valley facility.
How You Can Help: I learned at the rehabilitation conference that they are always looking for new places to release their healthy wildlife. If you know someone with acreage, suggest that they contact their local animal shelter to ask how to reach the rehabilitation network in their state. Laws are different in each state. If their site is free from immediate danger to the animals, then their lands could provide a needed launching point for an animal's return to the wild. There's no pay for the privilege, just the coolness factor of knowing that you're helping simply by being there.
I also practiced repairing a turtle shell. I donned rubber gloves, picked up a hand drill, and worked on an old (dead, empty) turtle shell. They work like geodesic domes, so if you can get the outer rim of the shell to connect properly then everything else just sort of fits together on its own. I drilled through the bone shell, tied a wire to secure the plates together, then sealed it off watertight with a neat clear plastic film from 3M. On another shell, I applied a loose netting and then I layered a quick-drying epoxy over the top. Fun stuff. Drilling bone is as painful for turtles as it is for us, so doing this procedure on a live animal requires first using anesthetic on the critter.
Animals: Zoe needs a friend. Zhey has been on the adoption floor for a week or two. Zheir age (11 years) and coat (plain alley cat) may keep this spayed female from finding a new home as quickly as the younger and flashier cats. Zoe is in a cage that faces the main door to the cat adoption area. Half of the time when I enter the room, Zoe will softly meow once to get my attention for some petting. Zhey is very friendly but not rambunctious about it. I think Zoe deserves a warm lap to spend many lazy afternoons with someone.
When I first saw Norbert, I thought that there was a cat that had surely seen better days! Norbert has most of zheir tail hair shaved off, although I don't know why. On closer inspection, though, I began to wonder if maybe zhey hadn't seen better days. Maybe this was finally "the good life" for the 3-year-old neutered male. Norbert has old scars on zheir nose, bits of ear lost in previous fights, lots of dense muscle in those very pettable shoulders and chin, and a few healed wounds buried underneath that fur.
The paperwork didn't explain much. I think zhey came in to us straight from the streets, but zhey has certainly overcome the disadvantage of living a rough life in the city. Norbert will enthusiastically roll up against my hand and arm for petting. Most cats get hissy when someone else is in their way on one of the tree pole ledges in the community cat rooms. Norbert, though, was almost dainty in trying to avoid stepping on another cat while getting closer to me for some petting. My own cat doesn't tolerate being kissed on the forehead, but Norbert seems to like it. Norbert is a tough cat with a good heart.
As of this writing, Zoe and Norbert are both available for visitation and adoption in our Golden Valley facility.
How You Can Help: I learned at the rehabilitation conference that they are always looking for new places to release their healthy wildlife. If you know someone with acreage, suggest that they contact their local animal shelter to ask how to reach the rehabilitation network in their state. Laws are different in each state. If their site is free from immediate danger to the animals, then their lands could provide a needed launching point for an animal's return to the wild. There's no pay for the privilege, just the coolness factor of knowing that you're helping simply by being there.