Residents offer know-how and time to benefit wildlife clinic
February 28, 2003
The Wildlife Care Clinic stretches its connections far beyond
the few buildings it inhabits in the College of Veterinary
Medicine.
Central Iowa residents provide permanent homes for injured
wildlife, and volunteer time and expertise to the nonprofit
organization.
Sharon Atwood takes in animals from many different sources
around her home in Baxter.
The Wildlife Care Clinic provides her with animals that are
injured and unable to be released back into the wild, she said.
These animals become permanent residents of Atwood’s countryside
property.
Atwood, who works at Newton Animal Clinic, also receives many
injured and orphaned animals from the Department of Natural
Resources, Animal Rescue Leagues, the Sheriff’s Department and the
general public, she said.
Not only is Atwood called upon to provide a permanent home for
some animals, but she also rehabilitates and nurses some of the
animals back to health so they can be released back into the
wild.
“I get them back on the road again,” she said. “I keep the
animals until they are mature enough to survive or are healed.”
Atwood said she also keeps temporary quarters set up for the
different animals brought to her until they can be released back
into the wild.
Once they are released, Atwood said it may take the animals some
time to readjust to their habitat.
“Orphaned owls come back for the first month or two for feedings
and take food,” she said. “Then they gradually learn to hunt their
own prey.”
While caring for and rehabilitating the animals offer a lot of
rewards, Atwood admitted she “can get burned out easily too.”
She said she receives many orphaned raccoons when they are less
than a week old and they can be very time-consuming.
“It’s hard when you have 10 to 12 raccoons and you are trying to
bottle-feed everything on your lunch hour,” she said. “All of them
screaming at the same time.”
In addition to the taking in wildlife, outsiders also provide
the clinic with much needed advice.
Marlene Ehresman is sometimes called upon by the clinic for her
expertise on wildlife. Ehresman is a program and planning associate
for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization
that protects Iowa’s natural land, water and wildlife. She has
worked closely with the Wildlife Care Clinic since it opened in
1984.
Ehresman used to provide workshops to train volunteers and
students at the clinic when it was first opened and has also worked
as a coordinator for the clinic for a few years, she said.
Ehresman currently offers advice to the clinic on legal matters
and answers questions regarding the release of particular wildlife
and the best habitat available for the releases back to the natural
environment.
“The Wildlife Care Clinic could provide a valuable service to
central Iowa and the students in the community,” she said.
“They don’t get the same recognition and support that they
should. It needs to be taken seriously.”