George the Opossum

 

This is George! Someone caught him in a trap and called me for advice. He looks like a baby doesn’t he? Can you guess how old he is?

 

George is a teenager and old enough to be on his own! Opossums are very unique creatures. They are born VERY tiny – too tiny to be kept in a den or nest. Momma opossum has a special pouch in her belly where the little babies live for two months! 

 

George was old enough to be released, but he was not healthy when he came to me. Poor George was dehydrated (not enough water) and VERY thin. I needed to make sure he was healthy enough to survive on his own before he could go back to the wild.

Dr. Mary and George

It took George about two days to feel better. After that he ate his kitten food like a champ!

(Check out the video to see him eating!)

Can you find George?

Once George put on enough weight, he was ready to be released! Check back for a video!

Dawn the Fawn

Dr. Mary and Dawn

This is Dawn the Fawn. She was found by a girl who saw her wandering on the side of the road. She told her Dad to pull the car over and they found that this poor little fawn’s momma had been hit by a car. They took the orphaned baby home and called me the next day.

I drove her back to my house and set up a cozy spot in the bathroom for her and let her relax while I prepared her breakfast.

I used a special milk replacer and a pet nursing bottle to feed her breakfast.

She was VERY hungry!!

She stayed with me for several days and then I found her a great new home! She went to a wildlife rehab center where she had her own little house and yard to play in! (Much better than growing up in a bathroom)

 

Dawn will grow up at the wildlife center and she will be released in the surrounding acres of forest when she is old enough to be on her own. It was sad to say goodbye, but we must do what is best for the animals 🙂 

Snuggie!

 

Snuggie is our current patient at Cherished Life and the sweetest little kitten you could imagine. She has been very sick, but fighting everyday to recover. Even though Snuggie does not feel well, she still gives constant purrs and love.

 

Snuggie is an inspiration to us all. It is a reminder that no matter how impossible things may seem – hope, love and the perseverance gives us ALL a chance to overcome our hurdles in life:)

The Power of Caring

Hooty the owl was hit by a car while searching for food in Wisconsin. He was picked up by a good samaritan and brought to Dr. Dustin’s clinic  for veterinary care. Dr. Dustin took x-ray’s and found that poor Hooty had a broken wing.

Can you see where it’s broken?

Dr. Dusty put out a call for help and I responded. We knew Hooty could be saved, but we needed to find a safe place for him to recover……..and then find him a new home!

I called my friend who runs “Woofs and Books,” a great organization that helps kids with reading skills and rescues animals! She put me in touch with Liz Haton – a licensed wildlife rehabilitor that works with birds.

Liz was very excited and happy to help Hooty!

Dr. Dusty’s co-worker volunteered to drive Hooty 7 HOURS to Indiana to save his life!

I went to visit Hooty at is new home “For the Birds.” Liz and I filled out paperwork for him so that he would be allowed to live with her and become a permanent resident.

Today, Hooty (now renamed Dr. Who) is doing great despite his broken wing! They put anklets on him today and guess what? He is FLYING!!! Amazing!

It warms my heart to think about all the people who played a role in saving Dr. Who’s life: The kind people who found him and brought him to the vet, Dr. Dusty who took care of him and searched for a home, my effort to find a home, Ms. Miranda who put me in contact with Liz, Liz for taking him in and giving him a forever home, Deanna who drove to Indiana all the way from Wisconsin, AND, two awesome kids whose donations to Cherished Life made it possible!

YOU can help animals just like Dr. Who! Sign up to be a member of Dr. Mary’s Kids club and find out how.

Together, we can ALL make a difference!

Thumper’s Breakfast

It’s breakfast time for Little Thumper Marcotte!

Delicious!

Click here to see a video of Thumper! :   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherished-Life/214190448663223

Freshly picked Dandelions from the backyard! Mmmmmm:)

Thumper’s Big Day!

Today is the third day Thumper received his special medicine to help him digest big bunny food.

He ate some of his Timothy grass, but still seems to prefer his milk:)

What a cutie! Check back to see his progress:)

Thumper!

Meet Thumper!

Dr. Mary got him last week when he was brought to the clinic for an injury.

He is still recovering, but getting better everyday!

Dr. Mary and Thumper after his first feeding

Thumper’s Lunch:) He prefers to drink his milk out of a little syringe with a catheter attached.

Did you know? Baby bunnies are only fed once a day by their moms. Their milk is so concentrated with nutrients that one feeding lasts them ALL day! This makes it challenging to find a replacement when raising orphaned bunnies. I use KMR (kitten milk replacer) and mix it to the thickest consistency that will still fit through a feeding syringe.

First night with Dr. Mary – Thumper met his new friends in the playhouse:)

  Thumper’s eyes opened on Friday June 7th!! It was SOOO exciting!

Did you know? Baby bunny’s eyes open between days 5 and 7

So Precious!

Sleepyhead!

Thumper has almost doubled his size in one week!

Thumper started a special medicine yesterday that will help him digest the normal plants and foods he will be eating in the wild. Tomorrow is his BIG day – he will start being weaned off of his milk and onto adult bunny food!

Check back to see how he does!