I worked our open house this weekend, and it sounded like it may have been our busiest weekend ever, with over 2000 guests getting to see our facilities and the work we do. Between tickets, raffles, shirt and toy sales, and general donations, we raised a nice amount to help fund our work. As far as I know, all rescues around the world are funded purely by donations like these.
It was great seeing so many people from all the other shifts. We had to do a good chunk of the day's work in the 2 hours before the event started. I fed the meat eaters (opossums, raptors) and cleaned the outdoor pens. We did get a new Screech Owl, but it was very shy and wouldn't come out of its cardboard box, so we just stuck meat bits into the hole of the box until it took them. I'm sure I'll see it eventually.
I didn't want to deal with the parents/kids, so I took driveway duty. The driveway is just one lane, and with shuttles, people wandering, and people dropping off animals, it was too hectic, so this year we had just about everyone park down the road in the church parking lot and that the shuttles. Basically, I watched for cars stopping, kept them away from the driveway, sent most of them down the road, or sent them to different parking areas if they were bringing things in.
Special note: If you find an animal and intend to help it, you probably want to call your rescue first!
We had a guy try to bring us a deer. The state does not allow us to take deer, and this deer should not have been moved to begin with. This, naturally, all made him unhappy. I did see a game commission truck later so I didn't know if they had a table there or if they picked up the deer.
I heard yesterday people brought in ducks. Our website is plastered with very intrusive popups saying do not bring in any waterfowl due to bird flu. The state wants to handle that on their own at this time and we can't accept them and I think we can get in serious trouble if we're caught with them there.
People wanted to bring in raccoons, but we're at max capacity with them and couldn't accept them.
We do a lot, but we're not allowed to accept every species, and we only have facilities for so many. If you call, we can either tell you to not move the animal to begin with, if you should bring it in, how not to kill it bringing it in, or we can put you in touch with people that may be able to accept it or transport it if you can't. We provide a lot of services, but we can't do it all, but we'll help the best we can.
I got to visit a few animals on my breaks, and I'll share some animal reports in the comments. I don't always get to see them or see them so close during my work.
Mammals
I was happy to see some of the raccoon babies get to go outside, though I learned it's because they're causing too much mischief inside! They were climbing and grabbing each other and wrestling, and the one stretched out all cute.
They're in the rabies vector pens, hence then being behind two layers of cage, so that's why the photos stink. It's for everyone's safety. Raccoons can carry rabies for a very long time, and if anyone without a pre-exposure rabies vaccine touches them, the animal has to get tested for rabies, which does not go well for them!
This photo stinks too, but that's a bat. This both was very crowded so I didn't get to see anything, but I enjoyed that so many were enjoying the bat. I also heard the bar last had a very cool bat tattoo, but I didn't see that either.
I also heard there was a very friendly woodchuck that loved talking to all his visitors. That sounded super cute, and they're another rabies vector animal, so I haven't been around them at all either.
I need to get those shots, but they're almost $1000! I believe there's an annual test as well to make sure you keep up your antibodies. That's serious stuff.
Rabies seriously freaks me out, but those baby raccoons are so cute! I love reading about your experiences volunteering. It sounds like you’re really enjoying it. I haven’t been keeping up with posts lately, so maybe I missed it, but did your free squirrels ever settle down? 😂
Speaking of my rabies carrying buddies, we also welcomed in a bunch of baby skunks, which are also unreasonably cute!
(Not one of ours, just a reference pic)
The raccoon babies make lots of cute noises, but can also make some pretty harsh noises and can be very problematic and frustrating from what I hear from the people that work with them. They are the head person's fav though, despite all that.
I like being able to toss in extra stories and photos. The owls are still superb and all, but I like adding some surprises for you guys.
I haven't seen them recently, but the ringleader has been back a number of times. Th gf said she saw 2 of them the one day, but I don't know if she can really tell the old ones from the new ones. I hope they've found a place to set up and be successful. Even though they were a bit rowdy and destructive, I want them to be out there either in my trees or down a ways at the park or the other way to the farm/field having fun.