It’s The Isabella Cat Clinic’s motto. And it’s one which they put that into observe day by day.
While pet house owners could also be conversant in the Mt. Pleasant facility for feline vaccinations, exams, and even grooming providers, the clinic additionally works with Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources to rehabilitate wildlife of every kind—one thing most people might not be conscious of.
The Isabella Feline Adoption & Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization based over 20 years in the past by the clinic’s proprietor, Dr. Catherine Lindstrand. The Center is housed on the Cat Clinic, and the clinic workers are all concerned with the non-profit work as nicely.
“We all kind of play a role,” says Kellee Peters, observe supervisor and Cat Clinic veterinary technician. “We are completely donation based. And whatever we do is based off of fundraising and money that we are raising from basically the general public.”
Peters says that the wildlife they work with varies, from child birds and rabbits, to fox kits and fawns. Most lately, they efficiently rehabilitated and launched an injured bald eagle.
Peters says that treating a wild animal is a little more difficult than working with a shopper’s pet, and the method varies relying on the animal’s harm.
“Obviously, you would fix the fracture, splint it, cast it, or whatever you need to do. And then you have to worry about obviously rehabilitating them so that they are healthy enough to be released back out into their natural habitat. Which is physical therapy basically,” Peters says.
“A lot of times, rehabilitation (after the initial injury treatment) basically just looks like increasing the size of their enclosure; maybe making it a little bit harder for them to receive their food … things like that that would encourage them to reuse an injured limb or something along those lines,” she explains.
“We have to minimize the amount that we interact with them so that they stay wild because we don’t want them to run up to people and be friendly after they’re rehabilitated with us,” Peters provides.
Peters additionally explains that the method of caring for the animals after which releasing them again into the wild is bittersweet.
“It’s very humbling,” she says, “because things are so touch-and-go for a long time with most rehab cases, and you have moments where you think they’re doing great; moments where you’re worried that you’re going to lose them. And then to watch them be able to be released and do so well—it’s pretty amazing.”
Peters says that in the event you discover an injured animal, your first name ought to be to the DNR. She explains that the officers will contact the clinic, prepare for the animal to be transported, and make sure the security of everybody concerned. The clinic workers can then decide what sort of accidents the animal sustained and the way it may be handled. Once that course of is full, the clinic works with the DNR to launch the animal again to the place it was discovered.
“I love the wildlife animals,” Peters concludes. “And I think that it’s extremely rewarding to be involved in basically nurturing them back to health and then releasing them. I feel extremely lucky everyday. People often will say, ‘Oh, you work for a cat hospital, you will see a lot of cats.’ And I’m like, ‘We see a lot of everything!’ And we’re pretty lucky to be able to say that we can do that.”
Learn extra about The Isabella Feline Adoption & Wildlife Center and get updates on animals they’re working with—together with clinic “alumni”—by visiting their web site. You may also make a financial donation or donate animal care provides on their ‘wishlist’ webpage.
