Case #1

Barbara Bellens-Picon
Director/Founder Squirrel Sanctuary Inc
Class 2  -New York State license

http:www.squirrelsanctuary.org

On August 15 ,2000 ,a female adult gray squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis )was admitted with
trauma from being hit by a car. The squirrel was displaying spinal trauma symptoms with loss of musculature in the hind legs, inability to curl her tail, and minimal deep reflex of hind legs when pinched.

This was a critical case that needed close monitoring . A radiograph ( x-ray ) was taken by a cooperating veterinarian but no fractures were seen. Nerve damage as a result of trauma is common and cannot be seen by x-ray .I was cautiously optimistic . Time would determine the route she would take.

Slow but progressive progress continued weekly by the patient under a supervised plan of a highly nutritious diet , minimal contact ,gradual increased caging space, and close observation that lasted approximately eight weeks.
This squirrel graduated and achieved outdoor acclimation status and was then carefully observed thereafter for an additional two weeks .

She was finally deemed releasable ,passing all criteria:  A fully recovered wild adult, anxiously awaiting her chance to return back home to nature . I was excited and so happy that this squirrel was going to make it back-wild and free for the second time!!

The release day and site were carefully planned...all choreographed with habitat and population in mind.

However what was to follow on this particular day was one that carved its memory forever into my gray matter.after 10 long weeks of intensive rehabilitation , this squirrel's window of freedom was tightly closed in a time frame of  less than an hour- by the instinctive skills of a marauding feral cat.

The  cat was lurking in the bushy shrubs  ,unannounced and silent-just waiting for an
opportunity to strike . It did so with instinctual precision and skill . The cat's  fangs drove into the squirrel's 
neck, the same neck I supported when she was comatose from the damage the car caused. 
Now , blood was dripping out from the carved wounds in the back of the neck( where cats will first strike) the squirrel spastically writhed . From across the grounds ,I ran yelling and ripping off my jacket, startling the cat which dropped the squirrel.
In shock of what had transpired, quickly wrapping her up, I sprinted across the field into my van.
 

Like an old re-run from a scene in Twilight Zone-I drove straight back to the rehab room where she had convalesced prior. On the road, my mind raced back to this particular squirrel's case- the steady progress from the initial car injury and what remarkable steps she gained to recover fully  . But now her body lay tossed like a limp rag, in deep shock , back to ground zero.

They say that cats have 9 lives-I guess that squirrels are not that lucky...Unfortunately there was to be no recovery from the damage done by the cat attack and in 48 hours she went from being in shock to exhibiting signs of permanent irreversible damage. A call had to be made....a call that wildlife rehabilitators have to make when there is no chance of a patient being able to survive in the wild successfully.

Under sedation, and in a quiet setting at a sympathetic cooperating  vet's office ,I held her gently, silently saying goodbye, as she was "humanely"  euthanized.  I curse that word as I feel there was absolutely nothing humane about this. This is dark rehab.

The predator was a solid black lactating female feral cat that I successfully trapped within 2 days and soon thereafter located and trapped her offspring.
Feral Mom was tested for FIV -  and so were her kittens. Offspring were successfully adopted out to loving families some time after. These kittens are now responsibly cared for indoors and are healthy and safe.

The statistics from our cooperating rehabbers of Squirrel Sanctuary estimate that 38% of yearly cases are as a result of cat attack.

Please keep your pet indoors. They indeed will live happier, longer, healthier lives and so will our Wildlife.

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