What can I say about my internship at Critter Care, other than I loved it.  I loved having the opportunity to get “up close and personal” with the animals.  At Critter Care I essentially became a surrogate mom for orphaned babies; feeding, cleaning, and making sure they get the same attention as they would have from their real moms.  It’s amazing to actually have the chance to touch so many amazing creatures – opossums, squirrels, raccoons, a marmot, a beaver, and lots of skunks (they were my favorite!).  It’s amazing how each individual personality becomes clear when you spend time with the animals…

I had one skunk that loved tummy rubs, and another that would continually try and climb up to the top of my head.  I have a mountain of such memories from my time at Critter Care.  And it is unbelievably rewarding to watch your animals grow, and thrive, especially the ones that come to the center in poor condition.  One of my most rewarding charges was a small skunk who came in severely dehydrated and malnourished, and had obviously been without mom for more than a week…I had to keep giving him subcutaneous fluids throughout the first two days just so that he would have the strength to drink milk from a syringe!  And in the end, you know that your charges being re-released into the wild, back to where they belong.

Don’t get me wrong, an internship is hard work.  Interns are not only responsible for cleaning and feeding their own animals, but also keeping the center clean, pitching in to maintain the property (cutting the lawn, painting, etc), and there is a never-ending pile of dirty laundry.  Sleep-deprivation is definitely the norm.  As well as being physically demanding, an internship can take an emotional toil; sometimes, despite your best efforts, your babies don’t survive.  But all the hard parts are worth enduring in order to have the privilege of getting to care for some amazing animals.  And I can honestly say that if I have the chance to come back to Critter Care in the future, I’ll take it!