By Colleen Grzan, werc@werc-ca.org

The antics of Pepe LePew are funny to watch on Saturday cartoons, but you may not find it amusing to have the real-life critters in your backyard, eating from your pet’s food bowl like these two young Morgan Hill skunks. How can you keep them away? First of all, don’t actually shoo them away … you’re aware of the possible repercussions, of course. And that means keeping Fido and Kitty (as well as their food dishes) in the house at night or else you might to dousing them with tomato juice to get rid of the odor. Skunks can be a carrier of rabies, so never come in contact with them with bare hands, i.e. petting them, even the “adorable” babies. If you do keep your dogs and cats outdoor, be sure their rabies vaccinations are current.

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Q:
Darby, our 3-year old Corgi, has been shaking his head a lot lately. Our vet looked in his ears and said they are clean.
They don’t even look red or inflamed. He wants us to see a specialist, because he says it might be a nerve problem. How serious can this be?
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Sheeba is a 3-year-old German shepherd mix who has been spayed. She is great with people and children, but would be best as an only dog. She is available for adoption at the San Martin Animal Shelter. If you are interested in adopting this or any other animal, please call (408) 686-3900.

By Teresa Stephenson, education@werc-ca.org
When we receive an orphaned, injured or sick animal for care, we first obtain information from the rescuer on where and when it was found and why it was rescued. We ask what care had been given to it. We then proceed with a full physical and fecal examination. Once we determine the problem, we work on the solution. A baby bird needs to be identified so it can be fed the proper diet for its species. A wounded animal must be treated carefully; we determine if pain medication is needed and which antibiotics and treatments are necessary.

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by Colleen Grzan, werc@werc-ca.org
Orion is the Golden Eagle that was found two years ago on the Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Gilroy. His twisted leg was permanently straightened by orthopedic surgery. The full story of his rescue and surgery can be read at www.werc-ca.org. In March 2009, Orion was flown to the Center for Birds of Prey in South Carolina as an educational animal.

Note from Kristin Gordon McCauley, Curator in SC [May 28]: “About a month ago we moved Orion from quarantine to a display enclosure that already housed our female Golden Eagle. She is a non-flighted bird that has been with us since 1992, she was injured before she was 1-year-old in the wild. She had hit a high tension wire and was found near the coast of SC, I guess she wanted to take a “shortcut” on her first migration and it didn’t go so well. She has never had a “roommate” before so we were watching them both very carefully. Orion went right over to her and landed on the same perch that she was on as if to “introduce” himself. She put her head down, opened her wings a little and opened her mouth. He got the hint and left for the other side of the enclosure. They pretty much stayed on separate sides of the enclosure for the next couple weeks.

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Tad is a 2-year-old terrier mix that has been neutered. He is very sweet, has lots of energy and gets along well with other dogs. He is available for adoption at the San Martin Animal Shelter. If you are interested in adopting this or any other animal at the shelter, please call (408) 686-3900.

During the spring and summer months, people come across baby animals such as rabbits and fawns that are all alone. Not seeing a mother around and concerned about the young animal’s welfare, they “rescue” it. Keep in mind that many wild mammals often will leave their babies alone for a long period of time. Deer for example, will stash their young in a safe place which could even be on your front porch, while they go off to graze. Mother may only return twice a day to nurse her young. Rabbits also leave their young returning only once or twice during the day. These ‘home alone’ animals are not abandoned and should be left in place. If they have been ‘rescued’, they need to be returned to where they were found as quickly as possible. Contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center for complete instructions on safe return techniques.

By Colleen Grzan, werc@werc-ca.org

A third bobcat kitten has just arrived at the Wildlife Education Rehabilitation Center. “Cruz”, who was found abandoned in Santa Cruz, is a feisty 12 weeks old who has joined the other two bobcat kittens, Morro and Fresno, in the indoor nursery. All three will be transferred to the outside enclosure at W.E.R.C. this Wednesday, where they will have plenty of room to run and climb and play bobcat games. Their surrogate mother (a human in full-body bobcat costume) will continue to bring them their daily diet of small rodents and reinforce hunting behavior through “play”.

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