Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 14 August '85 19

August is the time of year when wild animals and birds tend to wander into our backyards. Some of these creatures are of a very young age and can be very naive about their surroundings and about humans. Why talk about wild animals in Pet Patrol, readers may ask. My reason is to stress that these animals are not your pets, and they should not be encouraged to become your pets, even in a partial sense. IF YOU see a young animal or bird wander into your yard, leave it alone or attempt to get it back into its natural habitat. In most cases of wild animal injury, veterinary care would not be available in the forest or marsh and nature will usually take its course — the animal will recover without outside interference or it will succomb. In general, you should follow the same rules with wild animals in your yard. Move the creature to more natural surroundings and release it, or at the very least, encourage it to leave your premises. IT IS NOT fair to a wild animal, injured or not, to become used to food and water at your backdoor. Seasonal residents should understand this even more, because the dependent wild animal will be looking for food at your backdoor in October after you have returned to your winter home. Do not adopt baby wild animals. It is illegal and those cute baby skunks and raccoons grow up into larger animals which are hard to house and handle. In some cases, you may be risking the health of your family by harboring wild animals. THE PURPOSE of any wild animal rehabilitation program is the eventual release of the animal to the wild. Contrary to popular belief, badly mutilated or permanently injured animals do not make good zoo specimens, but a few do fine homes in special cases. Permanently disabled animals, of course, cannot be re-instated to the wild with any good expectations for survival. They usually are placed in permanent residence at state-licensed shelters. LUCKILY FOR the general public, sick and injured animals do not often enter residential areas, lessening the chances for bites and injury to the unsuspecting handler. Young birds, however, do enter yards, and therein lies the problem of "what do 1 do with this injured bird?" The only organization in this area which has the staff and equipment available for long term nursing and recuperation is the Avian Rehabilitation Center, in Seaville. Its number is 390-1623 and the facility is located at the Marine Sciences Consortium south of Marmora on Route 9. IF THERE is no answer on the telephone, try later in the day. as the volunteers cannot be present at the center at all hours. They do not pick up birds; you must take the birds to them. Always

Patrol

make contact on the telephone before traveling to the center with your injured bird so that they will expect you. Environmental centers in the area get calls very often to accept injured birds from well-meaning nature lovers. Most centers for environmental education, however, have neither the facilities nor trained staff for the sole purpose of rehabilitating injured birds. A BIRD rehabilitation program takes proper housing facilities, massive volunteer and veterinary assistance, and most of all, money. Neither your veterinarian nor local environmental centers have the ability to adequately handle and treat your in-

!Y MARK W LOGAN. V.M.D jured bird long term. Save time and trouble; call the people at the Avian Rehabilitation Center first for advice. Everybody, including the bird, will benefit by such action. Your veterinarian will probably be happy to examine obviously injured birds and possibly wild animals, but do not expect him to offer miracle cures for massive injuries. MANY YOUNG injured birds have complex wing fractures and it is economically and humanely unfeasible to attempt repair on them Call your veterinarian on the phone before bringing in a wild bird or animal to double check on his office policy. Remember, in some cases, humane euthanasia

may be the only alternative for your veterinarian to offer. besides release back to the wild as is or transfer to Avian Rehabilitation. NATURE HAS a built-in insurance system. Wild birds and animals breed and produce more offspring than are expected to survive. As young animals and birds leave the nest, they encounter dangerous obstacles to their survival. The most deadly obstacle is, of course . the automobile. Hundreds of birds and animals are injured each summer and it i§ a fact that most of the seriously injured cannot be saved. It is a bitter pill for all of us to take, but those animals that do make it will be back next year to produce offspring of their own in the summer. The cycle begins anew.

Wtaylor s gift shop W fl CRIB & BIKE RENTAL H PACIFIC AVE. WILDWOOD 522-2737 3? ? SUPER SUMMER SALE J 1 50% OFF - JEWELRY $ $ SUNGLASSES AND f J PICTURES A \ 20% OFF • T SHIRTS * ? AND BEACH TOWELS ri r PLUS OUR YELLOW TAG SALE l i napier jewelry • caros • sunglasses i ^ • sebastian miniatures • paper backs J OPEN DAILY and SUNDAY 9-9 B Bob & Eleanore Wollington LOOKING FOB ~ HORSE? Bureau ol Land Management Why not adopt one? A<e.an<jr.a v«9-».b mjw A public service ol Ibis publication

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