So people find orphaned or injured wildlife and don't have the heart to just walk away, yet they have no safe outlet or organization to give it to? You know what happens then? They try to raise it themselves and that often turns out badly. For the animal, and sometimes even the human.
For one, the general public DOES NOT have the correct information on how to care for these animals. Yes, there is always Google, but not all of the information out there is good, and many of the supplies that are needed would have to be ordered online and would take days to arrive. That is time that the baby or injured animal does not have.
Raising a baby ANYTHING is not as easy as it sounds. NO! NO NO NO! - cat milk, cow milk and dog milk is not usually an ok substitute for anyone, but that is what most people who find wildlife end up giving the animal. Then it ends up with diarrhea at the very least, and at worst, after having been fed incorrectly for a longer period of time, the beginnings of bone disease and other malnutrition-related illnesses.
What the HELL is the Department of Conservation trying to do? I don't understand THE REASON for these rules. Rabies is not that common here and ANY animal CAN catch it - EVEN HUMANS! Should we not be helped either, when we are hurt, sick or lost? And opossums are on the list of animals not to be rehabbed, but their body temp is generally too low to even carry rabies! Conservation is depending on the public remaining ignorant of the FACTS. There is actually no legitimate reason for this!
All of the rehabbers I know are fighting this tooth and nail. I really hope that all of my friends are standing with us. The public NEEDS organizations dedicated to helping injured and orphaned wildlife. Organizations who are trained, and who care, and want to help. Rehabbers cost this state NOTHING, ZERO, NOT A PENNY. All of the rehabbers I know either pay from their pockets or take what little donations they can get to care for the animals that come their way. We are harming no one, and are doing a public service, FOR FREE. We deserve support, not opposition.
Please sign the petition in the first comment below and call or email or write to the Alabama Department of Conservation at:
Alabama Department of Conservation64 N. Union Street
Suite 468
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-3486
dcnr.commissioner@dcnr.alabama.gov
