THE HAZY CRAZY (anything but lazy) DAYS OF SUMMER AT THE WILDLIFE CARE
CENTER (more picture below)
My name is Amy and my arrival time at the center on one of these steamy
summer days is 8:00am. I am a volunteer at the Wildlife Care Center going on my
ninth year. I am greeted at the door by the sleepy eyed owners, Don and Carleen
Cote. They had been up until 3a.m. feeding fawns and are back up to do it all
over again at 7 a.m.
I think one of the reasons I love volunteering in the field of wildlife
rehabilitation so much is because it’s never the same. It’s always something
different every day. We do our best to plan our days and get through our chores
without interruption, but that can all go out the window with one phone call.
It could be having to pick up skunks in Holden , rescuing a big ole’ porcupine
in Readfield, a snapper that was run over by a boat or someone bringing us an
animal that has specific needs and requires our attention for an undetermined
amount of time.
It’s another baby season so, in they come by twos, threes, fours, fives,
etc! Babies, babies and more babies! Each one having to be inspected thoroughly
for determination of body temperature, dehydration, any possible wounds, ticks,
maggots or any host of other problems that may exist. Once they are healthy
it’s feeding time. What a frenzy! It’s one thing to bottle feed (with a special
formula) one raccoon. It’s another thing when there are 50 or 100 of them
screaming for their chance at a bottle. Then they decide they don’t like the
nipple you are using so the “nipple game” commences. Ok so we try another
one…nope…try another one…nope…and this goes on until we find
the right
one. Carleen and I can barely hear each other over the shrieks of desperation.
Finally, all are fed and believe me when I tell you that silence IS golden!
I can remember one summer when we had so many raccoons to feed that I used
to get to the Center before Carleen and Don were even up. I would stealthily
“sneak in“, knocking over everything I came into contact with to make the
formula for the morning feeding. Then I would be there until as late as 11 p.m.
for the last feeding. It sometimes seems like all you do is feed and clean the
raccoons but there are many other critters to care for. Foxes, porcupines,
skunks, fawns, squirrels, woodchucks, weasels, minks, chipmunks, an occasional
beaver or even an 80 lb. tortoise! You just never know what’s going to come
through the door. I have even heard tell of an alligator!
The raccoons go from the bottle to formula and bread which, at first they
swim through, so baths are needed. From that phase they go to hard dog food and
are moved to outside cages. Of course the cages then need to be cleaned. I have
smartened up over the years and now wear an apron while there. When I go in to
clean or to water they find great delight in pulling on my apron strings! It’s
always an adventure cleaning the cages. They are either trying to “help” you by
sitting on or grabbing and running with your shovel or rake or trying to play
with your hair or get your glasses and God save you if you have candy in your
pocket! Then there are the unbearably hot days when we put their swimming pools
in the pens. They truly appreciate the relief and can hardly wait until the
pool is full before getting in.
It’s hard and dirty work, not glamorous in any way shape or form but there
is a payoff. The true reward is when they are released and you get to see them
in their own environment. Some bolt out of the kennel cab once the door is
opened to their freedom. Some hesitate and need a gentle push. They immediately
dig in the dirt, head for the water or climb a tree. We wonder as they look
back at us, will they remember us? Will they get enough to eat? Will they stay
out of harms way? Will they stay together? So many questions in our minds as we
drive away and worry, probably for no good reason. They know exactly what to
do. Instinct is powerful.
We go through the fall and winter and long for the spring day that will
bring a new baby through the door to begin the cycle once again. As Carleen
says, “It’s like child birth…it’s a good thing we forget the pain!”
