Wild Bird Rehab

Wildlife Rehabbing: Rewarding & Heartbreaking

From the joys of a successful release to the pains of necessary euthanasia

Being a wildlife rehabilitator is very rewarding to those who choose to make a career out of it. It also has the ugly and painful side of having to euthanize animals that are nonreleasable for one reason or another.

My wife, Suzette, has worked with wild birds for more than 30 years. Sometimes she receives a bird that has been mauled by a cat and is extremely sick, possibly missing an eye or a wing. To put them out of their misery is the humane thing to do and not too heartbreaking.

Then there are the unfortunate birds that are okay in most ways. Too often they are loving, cuddly, and beautiful little birdies, they are just unable to fly. This means they must be put down.

If we had a zoo permit we could house these birds for educational purposes. However, a permanent care facility must be able to house, feed, and provide medical care for each animal it shelters for the rest of its life.

This is an expensive endeavor and a separate job in itself. Maybe one day an educational center like this will be available to the…