“It takes a village to raise a child” is an African proverb referencing the need for a community of people to provide and assure its children grow in a healthy, safe environment. It’s not limited to children, however, as evidenced by all that has happened at Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center since last month’s column.
As noted in our May article, Don was dealing with some health issues and not accepting any new wildlife admissions. We included contact information for Wilderness Miracles Wildlife Rehab in Bowdoin, as well as the usual links for website listings of other rehabbers around the state. Don’s condition did not improve, but — no surprise to anyone who knows him — he refused to seek medical attention until long-term care for the animals at Duck Pond was finalized. And this is where “it takes a village…” comes in. In a matter of a few days, a wonderful network of family, friends, rehabbers, and Inland Fisheries & Wildlife staff came to the rescue, literally.
Ducks and geese were released or rehomed, with six adults going to Avian Haven to serve as surrogate parents to current and future orphaned young waterfowl. Rehabbers transferred several young and adult red foxes, all of which were temporarily quarantined at their new facilities. The non-releasable adult deer were tranquilized by IF&W and taken to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. Sadly, four elderly racoons had to be euthanized because they had parvo-related disabilities, which prohibited their release or socializing with others. All in all, however, the critters were successfully released or relocated, and Don finally agreed to see a doctor.
He was admitted to the hospital for about a week’s stay and is recovering at home with noticeable progress being made. His “village” continues to provide assistance with grocery shopping, rides to appointments and for errands, mowing, and critter transfers. Although Don isn’t admitting wildlife for extended care, his decision to wait until this fall to reassess his situation has gone by the wayside (again, no surprise!). During the past couple of weeks, Duck Pond has been serving as a transfer site for small injured or abandoned wildlife, with other rehabbers coming by at least once a day to transport animals to their own facility for treatment and care. These include at least a dozen baby raccoons, a woodchuck, squirrels, and a weasel. A chipmunk and gray squirrel (both hit by cars) that Don has been caring for in his living room “nursery” are doing very well and will be released in the near future.
Serving as a wildlife rehabber for more than 50 years is a way of life for Don, and although he won’t be assuming the 24/7 care of the past, being able to answer calls, make referrals, and provide initial care pending transfer to other rehabbers will keep him active in the career he continues to feel passionate about. As one of many of Don’s friends, I want to extend my personal thank-you to all those who have helped him during this recent emergency situation. It’s a nice reminder of another phrase, “What goes around, comes around.” 😊
Don has been working primarily with the following wildlife rehabbers: Misfits Rehab in Auburn (207-212-1039), Wilderness Miracles in Bowdoin (207-720-0074), Bridget Green in Wiscasset (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). As you can imagine, they are inundated with their own rescue calls, especially for young animals which require extra feedings and care, so please check these websites for someone close to you: www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html
Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a nonprofit, State-permitted rehab facility, which is supported by his own resources and outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Avenue, Vassalboro ME 04989 Phone: (207) 445-4326. Please note that the prior wildlifecarecenter email address is no longer monitored.
—by Jayne Winters, Natural Resources Council of Maine member from South China, Maine
Critter Chatter also appears monthly in the Town Line newspaper.
All photos by Jayne Winters
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