| Critter Care Wildlife Society's
plan is always to release a healthy wild animal.
Thanks to the wonderful support we get from several
veterinarians and the invaluable efforts of our
trained volunteer caregivers, our success rate
has been phenomenal. After a medical check, the
orphan is placed, usually with one or more other
orphans, into the hands of a caregiver. At this
point it needs to be bottle fed and requires stimulation
to eliminate. The milk feeding stage is not always
easy, but is always expensive. The only milk that
can substitutes for the mother's is a special
formula that costs $39.00 a can. When the animal
can be weaned, a variety of cat and dog food can
be given, together with other foods as supplements
and treats. For example, clams and mussels are
given to raccoons that are to be released near
the ocean, so they can learn how to open the sturdy
shells. Smaller mammals, like squirrels and
skunks, mature very quickly and can be released
within a few months. Raccoons, on the other
hand, must be kept throughout the winter and
are released in March or April when the climate
is milder and the food supply more plentiful.
Volunteers spend many hours researching possible
release sites and final selection is only made
when the Society is assured that the chosen
site has sufficient natural habitat to provide
the animals with the strongest chance for survival. |
