Mother Nature's last blast of winter...

and what a nasty one it was!

Dear Grace,

I hope you; your family and your home made it through the recent ice storm in one piece. Here at the shelter, we had trees and branches down all over the property. Luckily, no significant damage was done to any of our buildings. But like many, our power went out on March 30 and didn't come back on until Friday (April 4).

Without power, we had no heat, water and many of the medical devices we count on every day (like incubators, oxygen enclosures and diagnostic equipment). And even though our world seemed to be put on hold due to the chaos this storm caused -- injured, sick and orphaned wild animals continued to flow through our doors! Bats, birds, skunks, porcupines and even a fisher were brought to us in critical condition.

But I'm happy say that even with ALL these challenges our staff, volunteers and interns pulled together and not one animal was compromised because of this storm.

I can't express how grateful I am to have such a resourceful and caring team.

The clean-up is underway -- fences are being mended; food stores are being replaced, and animals are being released. It's almost business as usual, but this storm will not be forgotten any time soon!

Thank you to everyone who pitched in during this crisis. It truly does take a village and what a village we have!

Gail

Gail Lenters

Founder & Chief Animal-Lover

"I found a nest of baby bunnies and mom is nowhere to be seen -- they must need my help."

MYTH.

Mother Nature knows what's she's doing! Rabbits are prey animals and as such, everything is a threat. A mother cottontail will leave her young at dawn and not return until dusk. She does this to protect her offspring. She knows that at this time of year, predators will be watching her closely and will follow her to find their next meal. That's why her nest MAY appear abandoned, but 9 out of 10 times mom is nearby and will tend to her babies as soon as she can.

Mother Nature has also given rabbits (and deer) a secret weapon to avoid predators... they give off absolutely no smell!

"If I touch a baby squirrel the mother will reject it."

MYTH.

Squirrels are excellent mothers and will come back for their babies if given a chance! Squirrel moms will also take much better care of their babies than any human possibly could.

"If a baby squirrel falls to the ground it needs my help."

MYTH.



Healthy young squirrels found on the ground by themselves may not be true orphans — they simply need help reuniting with their mothers. Mother squirrels often rescue their fallen or displaced healthy babies by carrying them by the scruff back to the nest.

WHEN IN DOUBT, REACH OUT!

There are exceptions to every rule, so if you DO spot an animal you think needs help, reach out! Our care team is just a phone call away and can tell you if a rescue is needed. 705-437-4650

Case #: 25-0301

The mighty GREAT GRAY OWL!

A two week old baby porcupine.. Her mother was killed in the recent ice storm.