Monday, January 2, 2012

Phoenix

A phoenix is a mythical bird who lives for 1000 years then builds it's own funeral pyre and throws itself into the fire to rise from the ashes and be reborn.
What happens when a pig house catches on fire?  Sadly this is a very common reality.  Hundreds of pigs and piglets burn alive because the open houses burn so quickly and the smoke is able to rise.  My good friend, Susan, found herself standing in front of burning hog houses in the early hours of January 1, 2012.  She said that the pigs were screaming before one house was completely engulfed in flames.  There was nothing she could do for those, but when she looked into another house she saw 2 tiny babies were still alive.  All of the other pigs in the house had perished.  She bravely rushed into the house and grabbed the 2 babies just before that house was engulfed.  Susan said that the flames were so hot that the metal was melting.  She doesn't consider herself a hero, but she's the ONLY reason these 2 are still alive.  It's heartbreaking to imagine what all of the pigs who didn't make it went through. .
Susan kept the boy and I have taken the girl.  They are both so traumatized.  You can see the sadness in their eyes.  They were doomed and I have no doubt that they understood what was going to happen.

Her story could have been a much sadder one, but thanks to Susan's selfless act of heroism she was able to rise from the flames and be "reborn".  That's why Erin and I have decided to call her Phoenix.  :-)





To see more pictures and keep up with Phoenix's story, click HERE and please like our page!
If you would like to contribute to Phoenix's care, you may donate by clicking HERE.  Any donations beyond what will be required for her care will be used to help injured or orphaned wildlife and/or domestic animals!


Friday, December 30, 2011

Remembering

It's been a relatively uneventful couple of months, but rehab season will be gearing up soon!

This time of year brings on an overwhelming sense of sadness.  Two years ago my best friend was slipping away.  Tigger had been my brave boy battling cancer for 11 months, but on Christmas Eve he relapsed for the last time.  I hoped and prayed for a miracle, but the miracle didn't happen.  On January 2nd I had to make the toughest decision of my life...I had to "release" Tigger from this terrible disease.  If you would like to read Tigger's story please click HERE.
I'm truly grateful for the time I had with this amazingly beautiful boy.  

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Beautiful Artwork

Recently, Fort Smith native, Leah Burt offered to paint a portrait for us to sell/auction to help raise funds so that we will be able to rehabilitate more critters.  We were more than surprised by the beauty of this original acrylic painting of an Iguana that Leah created.  Check it out here and put in your bid!  All proceed will help injured and orphaned wildlife like the critters you see in this blog!  Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy this gorgeous painting!






Sunday, October 16, 2011

More Squirrels!


We have had a very busy end of the season with very young babies for it being so late in the year.  The possum below was caught by a dog and is now ready for release.  He ran away into the woods and never looked back!







Beautiful gray squirrel



 Another gray squirrel.  Here eyes weren't open yet.


Very tiny baby gray squirrel.






Bunnies are so cute, but so hard to raise.  Sadly this little fellow didn't live. 






Only baby possum left.  She will be ready for release soon.  She just has a little more growing to do.




Gray squirrel.  Look at  that beautiful tail!




Fox squirrel.  He has a very gray coat.  His mother was white, but was killed and these babies had been trying to fend for themselves for a while.  Wendy rescued them and brought them to us.  They will not be released until spring.  I would like to thank Wendy Sharum for her very generous donations to help us care for these little squirrels!





Gray squirrel that Erin is caring for.







Possum just before release

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Squirrels, Squirrels, and MORE Squirrels!



It's been so long since I posted.  With school starting it's been a crazy couple of months!  I've gotten in a total of 5 squirrels this year and I LOVE these little fellows!  The first girl in the previous post did not survive.  I honestly have no idea what happened to her.  She seemed to be doing great then I walked in one day to find that she had passed away.  :-(  Needless to say...we were devastated.  She had really grown on us.  Rest in peace sweet girl.  I will always remember my first little swirl.  

I have tons of pics in this post.  Some don't have a thing to do with rehab, but I've been enjoying taking some pics!  

Here are my 2 most recent squirrel additions!  Both are grey squirrels.




My Squeaker!



This was our first little squirrel.  Heath loved her so much!



It's Sweeney.  It's Sweeney Todd!


My beautiful Nanday Conure.


Anna AFTER surgery to fix her leg.  She is awaiting being spayed then she will be ready for a home!


Cutest little weiner dog EVER!  Vienna!


Our visitor Schultz the Prairie dog!  Thanks Erin for letting us "borrow" him!


Yeah that's the spot!


Tarantula...we had to stop to take pics.




Booya is now a 12 year old boy.


Bridge near Janet Huckabee Nature Center

Cool spider



 Boo's sillouette


He wouldn't sit pretty so I could take a pic, but I managed to snap this one!



My favorite color!  Just beautiful.







Now back to serious business.  This squirrel was caught by a cat.  Cat bites are very dangerous.  The tiny punctures are impossible to see and extremely deadly if not treated!  


This girl was found in someone's yard close to where their dog was chained up.  No mother to be found.


This little guy came all the way from the Cabot area.  A tree was cut down and later the owner discovered this boy and his brother!  Unfortunately the other little boy did no survive.  

That's all for now folks!  I hope you enjoyed the little catch up session.  I will do my best to post more often now that school has settled down a little.