DeliCATe Rescue!

After a day of fun but stressful wildlife rescue with TWC I long to see some healthy animals in their natural habitat so I took a few backroads home, hoping to see just that. After several unsuccessful attempts I made my last turn and drove toward a prime coyote field and...finally I saw a critter!

I went through my mental wildlife library trying to place it...squatted down in the mud, white, fluffy...hmmm.  I pulled to the side of the road quietly waiting until it turned around.  When it finally did, my heart sank.  It was a purebred white Himalayan cat alone in the middle of nowhere, and it was a mess.  The look on its face said "please help me" and "please don't come near me" at the same time.

One of her eyes looked infected, she seemed depressed and her fur looked horrible. I slowly approached her to see how she would react and when she turned around to run from me I then realized how bad it was.  She was scampering and dragging her back end - she was mobile but her legs weren't really working.

I then realized I had one more rescue of the night or I couldn't live with myself so I got my net out and ran toward her. She scampered as fast as she could (which wasn't that fast) and I was able to net her. 

I never thought my rescue day at TWC would end up like this!

She remained under the net growling and hissing while I ran back to my Jeep to assemble a kennel cab.  To my relief, after a few minutes I was able to coax her from the net into the cab.  She scampered into the cab for safety - I had her!   Whew!  After a few phone calls I was happy to learn that an on-call staff member from Pickering Animal Services was willing to meet me and scan her to see if she was chipped.

To my surprise, I heard some sweet m-e-o-ws from the back of my Jeep, totally different from the growling and hissing I'd  heard a few minutes earlier.  I opened the hatch and there was this beautiful kitty rubbing her cheeks and chin along the bars, wanting me to pat her!  I gave her head scritchies and she started purring and looking so grateful for the warmth of the blanket and the safety of the kennel cab. That was the first time I realized that maybe her injuries only seemed severe, maybe she would be okay!

You can see her poor condition, with bare and matted underbelly.

When Jen from Animal Services arrived we took her inside and she was scanned (unfortunately no chip) and we discovered that the likely reason she couldn't walk is because she had mats underneath, as large and as hard as pingpong balls from front legs to tail - hopefully that is the only reason she can't properly walk.

Jen put her into a very cozy cage with more food than a hungry kitty could want.  It didn't take a second before her dirty face was in the bowls.  She was ravenous!

In order to be in the condition she was in, she was either badly neglected or on her own for a very long time, and how this declawed, luxurious puffball of a cat survived in farmers fields with predators is beyond me.

Last I saw her she was still eating and seemed very grateful for the hospitality.

She will need to be shaved, then spayed or neutered (if necessary), microchipped, given any medical attention and if unclaimed, will be ready for adoption in five days.

If it weren't for Osgrrr (canine king of the cat haters) I would take her in a heartbeat. 

IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A HIMALAYAN CAT IN NORTH PICKERING THEY NEED TO CALL PICKERING ANIMAL SERVICES RIGHT AWAY:
905-683-7575.

Huge thanks to Jen and Pickering Animal Services - it was so nice to see how genuinely concerned she was about this kitty's well-being. 

I left feeling so relieved...a really happy ending!

Another Wild Day!

Never a dull moment volunteering at Toronto Wildlife Centre.

First rescue was a very sick fox reported to be lying against the side of a house in south Scarborough.  We didn't know how sick he was, and after an amazing rescue by Andrew we had him!  This was one of the sickest foxes I've ever seen - thin, bare, skin and little face covered in crust.  Should his tests confirm that he is a good rehab candidate, he will receive roughly 8 weeks of medical care at TWC and will then be released.  It was wonderful to meet the caring human neighbours of this fox, who appreciate and respect the wildlife near their homes.
(UPDATE:  the fox has had tests and it looks like he will be a great rehab candidate!!).

Next up, a daring rescue of a soon-to-be mama raccoon, who had chosen to reside on the second floor balcony of a home.  What better place to build a nest for her babies than a cardboard box full of old albums!  She had wounds and injuries, likely from a fight with another raccoon or a dog.   Andrew was two for two in the amazing rescue column today and after 20 minutes of careful maneouvering, and despite her hanging by her toenail at one point threatening to jump down, she was safely in a kennel cab and on route to the hospital.   She was quickly assessed and because she was with babies, and that her injuries would heal with the help of antiobiotics, she was given an injection and we were able to release her later in the afternoon.  

Soon to be Mama Raccon, after receiving treatment and being released.

The grand finale of the day was the long-awated release of a beaver, who had been in care for months at TWC.  Significant time, money and effort is required to care for these larger animals, and while the beaver will be missed, the bright side is that volunteers will not need to do any "full cage cleans" for a while!
Releases are always stressful and you hope you have chosen the best possible site, as close to where the animal was found.  Thoughts (usually irrational) always go through my head - where will the animal sleep tonight?  Will it have enough to eat?   But this release had it all!  The habitat was perfect and by the time we'd left the beaver had found a place to sleep, and explored every corner of the habitat.

Here's the release:

TWC is a not for profit and it takes significant resources to care for these animals.  Please visit www.torontowildlifecentre.com to see how you can help.

I love happy endings :)

But just when I thought my rescue day was done...read on!

Spring Sparrow Smackdown

**No birds were hurt in the making of this blog post**

Something caught my eye as I looked out the window this morning.  From the porch I saw two male House Sparrows fighting.  Certainly not unusual this time of year but it went on for a bit too long and the wildlife rehab volunteer in me kicked in and I ran over and broke it up.  I was happy to see the one on the bottom was fine as he flew back into the tree.

Twenty minutes later, same thing.  I let it go on as long as I could stand it but finally I once again broke it up (no easy feat!).  I've seen many early spring scuffles but this was extreme.  Once again, though, the one on the bottom was fine.

After a third round I resigned myself to the fact that this needed to play out despite my best efforts so instead I pulled up a chair and watched.

The Move of the Day award went to this bird, who had grabbed a tailfeather in its beak and suspended his competitor from a branch. It was roughly a minute before the dangling bird was able to free itself.

It turns out there were three males, battling it out for the affections of a lovely female sparrow, who sat coquettishly watching from a nearby perch.

Sometimes it was only a two-bird smackdown:

Beak-lock!

Other times, it was a three-bird cage match:

For six hours battle royale ensued, and the only time they took breaks is when they got hungry. Oddly enough, they would fly to the backyard feeder together, share nicely, fly back to the female in the front yard and immediately all heck would break loose again.
Even while in the birdhouse the fighting continued. There is a male inside, and the other has grabbed his tailfeather in an attempt to pull him out.

Is this the bird equivalent of pulling hair?

Down to the grass for another round!

While the other two are fighting it out, may I steal a kiss, my pretty?

Prime Real Estate

This is the lovely female who started it all.  No doubt we will soon be having baby sparrows!

Swan Song

We're lucky to have three beautiful swan species in Southern Ontario, and recently I've been spending time with them at two locations near my house.

To me, the surest sign of spring is the trumpeting mating call of Trumpeter Swans - it is like nothing I've ever heard.  With swans there is a very fine line between love and hate, and at marshes and lakes everywhere this time of year there is constant activity, fluctuating between nasty, aggressive altercations to sweet swan romance.

Trumpeter Swan L02 was chasing after everything from Trumpeters to Canada Geese.

I thought he really disliked one swan but turns out he was "wooing" her!

This time of year, male Mute Swans are often seen in a larger, fluffier posture, which I can only assume is perceived as macho in the swan world.  Amusement park swan rides are often designed in that posture and Trumpeter swans don't do this, so if you see a swan huffing and puffing, it is a Mute.  Below are a couple of Mute Swans - they look quite different than Trumpeters but are equally beautiful.

Foraging Mute Swan

Splish Splash

I thought I'd gotten a decent shot of a Trumpeter in flight last time I visited the marsh and it wasn't until I made it home and got this on screen that I realize it was a Tundra Swan! There are many migrating through this time of year.  They look similar to Trumpeters but are smaller, and most Tundra Swans have yellow markings on their cheeks. 

Tundra Swan

But before you go thinking you've got it all figured out, I've recently learned there are a handful of Trumpeter Swans in Ontario that have similar yellow markings on their cheeks.  This seems to be a genetic trait that can be traced back to a pair at Wye Marsh some years ago.  At first glance the swan below may be confused with a Tundra but it is actually a Trumpeter, Tag #J06, a Tundra wanna-be!

Trumpeter Swan J06 with yellow lores.  There is also a similar swan at Bluffers Park.

Waterfront in Winter

As much as I love going to photograph a specific animal, what I love the most is practicing with the "regulars".  This usually involved sitting on a rock or dock and photographing whatever is willing to fly in and say hello. 

Recently I had some practice at Whitby Harbour and really enjoyed spending time with the waterfowl.  Despite ridiculous temperatures (and a bad case of wind burn) it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

I find winter ducks the most beautiful and we're lucky to have so many that spend time in Southern Ontario.

Female Buffle Head

Male Mallard

Flock of Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Female Hooded Merganser (great hair!)

A Watchful Angel

I recently discovered this picture of Osgrrr and Johnny taken some time ago.   For some reason Osgrrr looks sad and vulnerable (not his typical look) and Johnny looks like an angel watching over him. 

I'm sure in time Osgrrr will feel better but for now, he really misses his brother.

Johnny's Story

It's been almost a week since we had to put our beautiful Johnny to rest. 

We discovered that he had cancer five weeks ago when he started having neurological symptoms, and within only a few days he went from enjoying walks with Mark and Osgrrr to being unable to lift his head off his doggie bed.


Through tests we learned that what we hoped was a treatable neck injury was in fact a large tumour compressing his spinal chord.  We started to say our good-byes because, at that time, it sounded like there was no treatment.  However as the doctors reviewed tests and consulted with one another it was determined that an operation could possibly give him some good quality of life.  Although he was 12.5 years old and a large dog, he was in excellent health.  After much discussion with his neurologist, we all agreed that we would move forward with the surgery - not only was it our last hope, but the odds were good that enough of the tumour could be removed, therefore giving him back his mobility. 

Relaxing at a cottage earlier this year

His condition declined so quickly that they had to move up the surgery and, on an emergency basis, he was operated on on Saturday Dec 3 2011.  We were told in no uncertain terms that if he experienced any difficulties at all during or immediately after surgery, that there was no choice but to euthanize him.  Once again, we thought we might be saying goodbye to him.  We pretty much held our breath for almost 5 hours, dreading bad news, but started to become cautiously optimistic as the hours passed.  Finally, we received word from the vet, who tearfully said "the tumour popped out"!  She was elated and so were we, as we never expected it to be removed intact.

There were many hurdles that Johnny had to overcome...can he breathe on his own, can he swallow on his own, how much mobility will he get back.   But he slowly started overcoming each one.  Here, he is taking one of his first assisted walks at the clinic:
            .  

We visited Johnny daily and introduced "cheese therapy" - Johnny loved cheese and we worked on his neck muscles by getting him to reach for it :)

Finally the day came when we could take him home and nothing was sweeter than getting him back.  Over the next few weeks he was improving by leaps and bounds.  Here is one of his first real walks with Mark:

However, our joy was short-lived when we got the pathology report back - the type of tumour was extremely aggressive (we couldn't have known that without getting the tumour tested following surgery) and that it would likely grow back quickly.  Devastated, we hoped that we would have him for at least several more months.

But just a few weeks later, after having given us a wonderful Christmas, Johnny's neurological signs started returning with a vengeance and within 3 days he had severe pain and had lost his mobility.  He was trying so hard for us, but we couldn't put him through any more pain.  With no other choice that was humane or fair, we had to have him put to rest.  We gave him a last piece of cheese and then did the  hardest thing we've ever had to do.  At least he was no longer suffering.

Enjoying a quiet moment at the lake

That was what the last month was like, but he had almost 12-1/2 years before that, that were for the most part wonderful, aside from his first few months of life.  We adopted Johnny just shy of his first birthday from a doggie daycare.  At 3 months of age he had been abandoned by his former owners and while we don't know what happened during his first few months of life, we know it wasn't good.   Fortunately the daycare, where Osgrrr went to play while we were at work, took him in and took good care of him.

I will never forget the first time I saw Johnny.  He was in the lobby behind the counter and it was love at first sight for me.  The ladies at the daycare recognized that I was going to be an easy target and before I knew it, we were bringing him home to live with us.  While Osgrrr didn't share my love at first sight, at the time both being roughly one year old males, over time the two created a very deep bond and Osgrrr is missing him terribly now.

Because of Johnny's less than ideal start to life, he had many problems when we adopted him.  He hadn't lived a normal puppy life - he didn't quite understand what grass was; I called Vet Emergency one evening because I thought he was seizing (turns out he had never worn a collar and was over-reacting!) and he had huge fear issues particularly around men.  He walked with his belly almost touching the ground when outside for the first several weeks with us.

But with a lot of work over the years he blossomed into the most loving and grateful friend you could ask for.  His tail would almost propel him off the ground when he wagged it, he would smile when he was happy, and I know there is nothing he wouldn't have done for us or for those he loved. 

He had many nicknames, as most dogs do:  Johnny the Explorer, John John, Downtown Johnny Brown (don't ask, we don't know where that came from) and he was nicknamed "Sir Johnny" by both our neighbour and my mom, neither knowing the other was calling him the same thing.  What he loved most was exploring down at the lake, snuggling in bed, eating cheese and just being with us. 

Whenever I think of Johnny at his happiest, I picture this. 
Shoulder to shoulder with his brother, off to their next great adventure.

He was a dignified, quiet dog and was very insightful.  One memory that stands out is when Mark's dad, who himself was very sick with cancer, came to visit with us for the last time before he passed.  Although Johnny didn't know my father-in-law all that well because they live out of town, he would lay down beside him, on duty and obviously protecting him, when Mark's dad would take a nap.

He touched the lives of our friends and family and was loved by many.

We are so grateful to have had him in our lives, as is Osgrrr, who also at 12-1/2, is fluctuating between manic puppy and very sad brother right now.

In time we will be able to look beyond the past few terrible weeks and reflect with a smile on every other wonderful moment he gave us. 

Johnny taught us so much, and he really was a gift.  We will always miss him.

We want to thank the caring staff at the VEC hospital in downtown Toronto.  They treated Johnny as if he were there own.  In particular, the ICU staff, Dr. James who masterfully performed the surgery, and especially Dr. Susan Cochrane, Johnny's neurologist who went so above and beyond in guiding us through this difficult experience.

RIP Beautiful Johnny

July 1999 - January 2012

We hoped after a successful surgery that we would have him for a little bit longer but the cancer came back with a vengeance.  He was our Smilin' Jack right to the last moment, and of course he had a nice big piece of cheese before he went.  We all miss you Johnny and you are always with us.