As soon as I got here everyone was really welcoming. There was always someone around to help out if you had any questions about anything and everything.

I arrived with no wildlife care experience, but I was taught everything I needed to know and was always encouraged to ask questions. I remember seeing the tiny baby raccoons for the first time and learning how to carefully stimulate and before I knew it, their eyes were open and they were eating from bottles, and my love for this job had grown.

If I had to point out one single experience I consider a good example of all this, I would probably choose the rehabilitation of baby raccoons. Receiving orphaned raccoons in a lot of different conditions, requiring medical attention, special treatments, or even just food and warmth can sound like a challenging and even scary experience. But assisting them at every stage of the process, and watching them growing and gaining strength up to the point where they can go back into the wild is definitely a great achievement. If even this is not enough, just imagine taking a walk being followed by 3-5 young raccoons who explore the outside world for the first time.

One of the most memorable things I got to do here was tube feeding a tiny opossum who’s mom died in care. He was so small and delicate. It was so precious to see him growing up and release him back in the nature. Even though it was hard for me to not treat the wild animals like pets, it‘s great to know that they will survive independently once released.

And then of course the beavers… I was very lucky that I got the opportunity to work with the beavers. They stole my heart from the moment that I got introduced to them. I started with the big ones, took care of them and saw them getting released. I spent a lot of time with the three musketeers, usually cleaning their enclosure and den box, giving them new hay, cleaning their pool.

I’m never tired of seeing the beavers. Even getting a glimpse of them on the other side of the mesh, see them swimming in the pool was magical.

In the summer I was so thrilled that we got new beavers, babies this time. A day before my birthday I had to take care of 3 beaver kits, what a birthday present, right? Unfortunately they were not in the best condition and even though we did the best we can, we lost 2 babies. One survived and has now a little friend. It was so precious to see how they merge and are now so close. I spend a lot of time with them.

Working with Wildlife gave me more than knowledge and amazing experience. It gave me cause to believe in and fight for and an example that if you want something truly and deeply, you will succeed in it one day. Yes you will work hard – especially during baby season- but this will be well worth the effort.

Being an intern at Critter Care is way more than taking care of injured or orphaned animals – it has helped me become more patient, independent and capable of working as a member of a group. But of course there were things we had to do… We have a morning and evening clean, a clean house is of high priority. Next to that you had chores that you were responsible for. And of course the to do list with all different kind of tasks like cleaning, lawn care, laundromat, painting, shovelling snow, enrichment for the animals,…

There was also an opportunity to learn. I’ve had several lessons during the year. I have gained knowledge about injections, dietary needs between species, rescues, how to pin an animal,…

Canada is such a gorgeous country. I as well made some awesome new friends and want to thank the supervisors for accepting me into the team! It was a pleasure to work with you! Thank you so much for giving all these animals a second chance in life.

My time here was wonderful and unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Spending my year here with like-minded individuals doing fulfilling, hands-on work was one of the best choices I’d ever made!

 

Thank you Critter Care!