Godless Mom in the Bible Belt

Most veterinary hospitals do an awful lot of work for animal charity, either free of charge or merely for the cost of supplies. For every veterinary hospital willing to do the work there are at least a dozen wildlife rehab or animal rescue organizations who are in dire need of veterinary assistance and who have very little money to pay for such services.

At the last hospital I worked for in Pheonix, the technicians would take turns volunteering their time to work with the charity cases. Usually this amounted to three to four hours a week of off-the-clock work, a small sacrifice when compared with the amount of good we could accomplish. I particularly enjoyed doing this sort of volunteer work because of the incredible variety of wildlife I came into contact with. I have had the privilege of working with many endangered species, many threatened species and many that are just plain cool.

I've helped pin broken bones on bald eagles, great horned owls, javelina and coyote. I've nursed beaver, Gila monster, porcupine and white tailed deer back to health. I've been involved in breeding and reintroduction programs for the highly endangered Mexican wolf and have help hand-raise numerous abandoned and orphaned infants of almost every species imaginable.

There are risks involved with such work. I was acquainted with someone who died of bubonic plague after being bitten by a flea while working with a wild jackrabbit population (His death was due to the fact that he thought he had the flu...By the time they figured out what was wrong with him it was too late.) I've been vaccinated against rabies the way most people are vaccinated against measles. You come home covered in fleas and smelling like wild game, you have to toss your clothes because the smell of male javelina urine doesn't wash out of anything. However, it is fascinating and heartwarming work and it's not something everyone gets a chance to do.

Wildlife rehab organizations are always in need of money, supplies and volunteers. The work they do is difficult and never ending. If you are so inclined and wish to help you can get in touch with rehab agencies through your veterinarian or your local Humane Society or ASPCA.