Asking For Help

“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.”
(St. Francis of Assisi)

I don’t know about you, but recent events have left me alternating between worried feelings of helplessness and deep anger. To watch the financial sector meltdown, a real-life, grotesque, McArthur’s park cake left out in the rain, followed by weasel word excuses of those who caused the green icing to so messily run down is, from this vantage point in a state with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation and its largest businesses standing on the brink of bankruptcy, in a word, frightening. For I am one who has never bought into the “bigger is better” mentality nor strived to accumulate toys just for the sake of owning them, and have always done my damndest to not overextend and to pay my bills on time. Yet like those who have spent the last decade acting less responsibly, I now find my Self splattered with the same sticky sugar; paying on a mortage for a house whose value has declined, paying more for food and other necessities, cutting out all spending except for the real and basic needs.

It doesn’t seem fair. Yet I still have a good job, so most times I just dismiss any negative thoughts and do what must be done, knowing eventually this storm, too, shall pass. When I am not working my day job, my life continues to be filled with the joys of what is called the “path of selfless service” – hands-on caring for wildlife.

Though a bah, humbugger of Christmas decorations in October and a staunch avoider of the nonsense of “Black Friday”, with the passing of Thanksgiving it is, truly and perhaps too soon, time to consider Christmas giving. I am not one to beg but this year I find that is what I must do, hence the purpose of this particular piece.

Wildlife rehabilitation is a volunteer effort. Although we are licensed by the state, there is not now, nor has there ever been any funding provided to us from any government agency. The majority of us care for the animals in our own homes and pay for food, medical treatment and medicines, and caging out of our own pockets. There are less-obvious, associated expenses in the form of higher utility bills (electricity to run heating pads and computers to answer inquries from the public, hot water to wash bedding, etc.), and gasoline and vehicle wear and tear from trips to vets, release sites, and even picking up wild animals. We work very hard and work very long hours, particularly during baby season, all for the sole reward of seeing a wild animal set free.

The people who bring us a wild animal often leave a small donation. And for that, we bless them for their double kindness. But the unfortunate reality is that money barely makes a dent. I once sat down and calculated the cost of raising one baby squirrel, including the cost of food stuffs and amortized caging expenses. From a newborn intake to release, the total was $150. And that was if the baby was healthy and didn’t need any medical treatment and doesn’t account for the cost of inflation over the intervening years. For larger wild animals, the total is proportionately higher; so you do the math. Multiply that minimum $150 by the dozens of animals that pass through a wildlife rehabilitator’s doors and it should be obvious that we all really do need your help.

We don’t have a budget for advertising campaigns; heck, we don’t have time to even shower some days and are lucky if we have someone fulfill their claim of wishing to volunteer. Many people don’t even know we exist, which is one reason for this particular website.

I have personally foregone giving “stuff” for Christmas to the adults in my family for years now, instead donating that money in honor of them to a local no-kill shelter. What I’m asking you to do is, this year, please consider doing the same thing. Give a donation to your local wildlife rehabilitator in lieu of buying some “thing” just to have “something” to give someone this holiday season. Many of us are registered as a non-profit organization so you’ll even get a tax deduction for your charitable contribution. (You can verify any organization’s non-profit status by simply going to this IRS web site.) You could also make your gift go even farther by giving your local wildlife rehabilitator a gift certificate to a supplier like Chris’ Squirrels And More and help 2 wildlife rehabilitators at the same time!

Then there are those of us who ply our creative skills and sell our work in order to help offset the costs of our wildlife rehabilitation efforts. Now is the perfect time to seek us out for truly unique and special gifts that create a win-win for everyone. In my own case, I am a wildlife and nature photographer and offer some of my images for sale in the form of calendars, coffee mugs, wearables, and other items here. I also offer high-quality prints for sale at my online gallery.

These are tough and trying times. Those of us who are truly committed to helping wildlife certainly won’t be giving up. But we could really use your help.

I hope you will consider us in your holiday gifting plans this year.

Thank you.