Written by Jeff Mackey
As we mentioned previously, PETA's Community Animal Project (CAP) fieldworkers are out and about in Norfolk and the surrounding communities, helping animals hurt or stranded by Hurricane Sandy. And it's not just dogs and cats who need help. Take, for example, this unfortunate pelican.
The exhausted fella was obviously worn out after being tossed around by the storm. A kind soul who spotted him called PETA, asking what kind of food she could give him, convinced that nobody would be able to get out to help the grounded bird since her street had become impassible.
Well, CAP doesn't know the meaning of the word "impassible." When local animal control representatives said that they weren't sure they'd be able to get out there, PETA's staffers drove through the gusty winds and heavy rains to get this big guy and transport him to the Virginia Beach SPCA. Our good friends there will give him the needed rehab so that he can be released once the coast is clear.
Stay tuned for more news from the front lines. And to help keep PETA's work for animals afloat, make a donation today.
When someone in New Jersey noticed that kids were pestering a goose who was sitting in the grass outside the woman's apartment—and that the goose didn't fly away or fight back—it became clear that the bird was injured. Her wing was drooping badly, and she was weak and lethargic. With a friend's assistance, the goose was moved to a laundry area to protect her from harassment and predators, but lacking a car, the rescuer couldn't transport her to a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (since Canada geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act), as advised by authorities.
Fortunately for the goose, her protector called PETA. Although there were no agencies in the area able to retrieve an injured wild animal and transport her to a licensed rehabilitation facility (this isn't uncommon since wildlife rehab centers are usually volunteer-run, without staff to rescue or transport animals), PETA's caseworker located a rehabilitator who was willing to accept the bird—but that had already closed for the day. With the rehabber's permission, the caller held the goose overnight. (Bless her kind heart!)
In the morning, PETA was able to find an animal advocate to transport the bird to the rehabilitator, which required driving for nearly three hours in all. (Bless his kind heart, too!)
The bird's injury was old, which explains why she was so easy to catch. A wing was broken, and the surrounding tissue was badly infected and necrotic. The bird was slowly dying from the infection and had gotten to the point at which she had no energy to fight. The goose had probably also lost her mate, which would cause depression in the long-term. It was determined that the kindest course of action was to end her suffering through properly administered euthanasia.
This case shows how one person can make a difference for an animal in distress. If these compassionate people hadn't helped this goose, she might still be lingering in agony—or dead after a violent attack by predators (or simply cruel humans). Please never ignore animals who need help. Even if the best-case scenario entails euthanasia, that's far kinder than leaving an animal to endure prolonged suffering.
Written by Michelle Kretzer
When a resident at an apartment complex in Indianapolis spotted two baby birds trapped inside a dryer vent on the outside of one of the buildings, one fledgling was already dead but the other was alive and chirping.
The resident called PETA for help, and we immediately got in touch with the complex's after-hours emergency maintenance crew. Personnel rushed to the building to remove the vent's cover, and within 45 minutes of the resident's worried call, the little fledgling was free. The mother had stood nearby watching, and the reunited birds hopped away together.
No one can be sure how the birds became stuck in the dryer vent, but it's likely that the cover had fallen off and the mother bird had built a nest inside. When the maintenance team replaced the cover, it had unknowingly trapped the baby birds.
PETA's national-pager carriers often get these types of calls. Mother animals have their babies in unexpected places, and when people do home repairs, they can trap animals without meaning to. While completing your summer around-the-house list, watch out for wildlife, and if you do see any animals who may have become trapped, call animal control, wildlife rehabilitators, or PETA for help.
The elderly woman who called PETA's national animal-emergency number thought that she was doing the right thing. When she discovered a baby bird in her yard who was unable to fly, she took him into her home and tried to feed him. Frustrated by the bird's deteriorating condition, she called PETA to ask for advice.
Knowing that a bird who did not fly away from a person attempting to pick him or her up was most likely severely injured or ill, we let the woman know that despite her good intentions, the bird really needed to be assessed by a wildlife specialist.
The caller couldn't drive, so a staffer from our Los Angeles office went out to pick up the baby bird and got the animal into the hands of a wildlife rehabilitator who determined that the baby was in fact severely injured and suffering and should be euthanized.
While people who try to help wild animals by themselves have wonderful intentions, they may inadvertently cause the animal more suffering by providing improper care. If you encounter a wild animal who appears to be hurt or in danger, stay near the animal, but call your local humane society or animal control officials for help. If they can't provide assistance themselves, they may have names of licensed wildlife rehabilitators in your area. Keep the names and numbers in your address book for future reference.
Written by PETA
Meet Johnnie, a badly injured black-capped chickadee who was at least lucky enough to be found by a compassionate Illinois family that called us for advice. This young bird had a broken back. PETA caseworkers guided the family through safely containing Johnnie and made sure that he was rushed to a veterinarian for assessment. Johnnie's injuries were terribly painful and debilitating, so the vet did right by him and quickly ended his suffering. Even though Johnnie couldn't be saved, the family could rest assured that they did the right thing by not hesitating to help an animal in need.
You'd have to have a heart of stone to see a struggling fledgling or other small animal and not want to help. Of course, in most cases, letting the animal's mother take care of business is exactly the right thing to do. If you see a bird or other small animal and wonder if he or she is in trouble, stand back, wait, and watch before doing anything. If the animal is alert, upright, and calm, then he or she is probably healthy and Mom is likely nearby. But if the animal is lethargic or has an obvious injury, like Johnnie, stay with the animal and call your local humane society, the SPCA, animal control, or a reputable wildlife rehabilitator for advice. If you still need help, call our emergency response team at 757-434-6285 pronto! (We are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.)
Other birds need your help right now, like the grackles who are frequently poisoned in Odessa, Texas.
Our emergency tips will give you everything you need to know about helping injured wildlife.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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