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Volume 4, Issue 2 February 2022
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Our Winter Wildlife Friends
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article by Elizabeth Trickey, photos by Jennifer Howard
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Hey, where did all the wildlife go now that the cold weather is here? And I don’t mean those spirited old folk who flee to Florida to play golf every year! I am referring to our furry and feathered friends.
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Critters are very much like humankind. After all, we are animals, too. Some more than others… Not all birds fly south in the winter, not all mammals hibernate, and not all humans embrace the winter months. Some of us look forward to the snow and cooler climate. I am one of those people who eagerly dusts off my snowshoes in December and can’t wait for trails to be abandoned by all but the hardiest of animals.
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Incredible Lives of Foxes
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As most of you know, here at Procyon, we have admitted high numbers of foxes due to an explosion of cases of mange in the local fox population. A couple of foxes also came in that collided with cars. In 2021 we had more foxes than ever before. Admissions for foxes began on January 21st and continued throughout the year until December 26th. We lost one of our critical mangy foxes and the two from car collision ones. But overall, we were very successful in getting them back to the wild. We had rescued, rehabilitated, and released at least 28 foxes by year-end.
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2022 is not off to a good start since our first fox of the year arrived at the Centre on January 6th. In our care from last year, we currently have three that are still healing. There are still at least three that I am trying to get in Innisfil. We usually get a break from animal care during the winter; however, this year is a different story.
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Thank you National Wildlife Centre!
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On January 26th, Sarah Marrs-Bruce, our Animal Care Assistant, had a busy afternoon with our great friends and supporters at the National Wildlife Centre Canada.
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Two of our recent mangy foxes needed small surgeries for frostbite damage. They are now tucked back into their recovery cages and resting.
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We can’t do what we do without the support of such caring vets.
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Do you need experience in order to get into an animal care program or to fulfill college requirements? Full-time, volunteer Intern positions are available year round, at Procyon Wildlife in Beeton, Ontario. Contracts are from 2-6 months. Please find details of this program, as well as the application, at https://www.procyonwildlife.com/procyon-wildlife-internship-program/
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Procyon team rescues injured raccoon in sub-zero weather!
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January 28th, 2022
What a day.......it started at -17 degrees when we get a call that a raccoon has been injured in Alliston, possibly hit by car and bleeding.
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Our volunteer Melissa heads up to see if she can catch it, no luck, so I grab a catch pole, net, crate and a trap to see if we can coax this injured raccoon into coming back with us. He has gone from hiding in a bush to climbing up a tree.
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Procyon thanks Dr. Filo for his recent donation of a dental device, called a dental mouth prop (or bite block). This will keep the adult animal’s mouth open during the tube feeding process of injured larger animals such as opossums. Procyon thanks him for his support and thoughtfulness. To learn more about Dr. Filo, please visit his website at https://queenstreetdental.ca/
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February is Sponsor a Rabbit Month!
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Check out our YouTube videos!
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Did you know?
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Do you have a few extra hours per week?
Are you retired? Or are you a student looking to
accumulate community hours?
We are looking for volunteers in the following areas:
* Hotline Telephone volunteers
* Handyperson
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* Website assistant and data entry
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We are looking for Grant Writers!
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Want to help? But not interested in animal care? We are looking for volunteers for our Grant Writing Committee.
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There are many aspects to keeping a wildlife rehab centre like Procyon operational and one way is by raising funds through Grant Writing.
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We are currently looking for volunteers to step forward to form our Grant Writing Committee. The purpose of this Committee is to review and make applications to organizations, foundations and charities that might be interested in providing grants to Procyon Wildlife.
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THE HOURS we need for telephone service are Monday through to Sunday:
10:00am to 5:00pm.
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Telephone volunteers Needed!
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Procyon needs your help more than ever! With the COVID-19 crisis, we are asking people not to bring animals to the centre without calling first.
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This means we need help from people to operate our phone lines from the safety of their homes. You will need to have access to the internet and a computer tablet to assist our animals care workers with online admissions.
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If you or someone you know might have a few extra hours per day to answer our hotline phones, please contact us at info@procyonwildlife.com We will provide remote telephone training.
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Handyperson
We need help with many odd jobs around the Centre, including grounds keeping, building nest boxes, renovations inside the building and repairs to our outside enclosures.
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Website Assistant
We are looking for someone to assist our web coordinator, with online work for our website, newsletter and data entry. Some experience with WordPress would be an asset, but not essential. Training will be provided. To learn more contact admin@procyonwildlife.com
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Please note that unless you are paying cash on delivery, all orders must be prepaid using our online store. To avoid disappointment, please call Procyon Wildlife (905) 729-0033 to arrange a pickup time at the Centre before coming to pick up your order.
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Items on Procyon's Wish List
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See the links and images below for further details on some of the items we urgently need.
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Due to the high incidence of mange we urgently need more live traps to safely capture coyotes and foxes.
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Made from long lasting black powder-coated and galvanized wire, the trap unfolds in seconds and is easy to bait, set, and release. The gravity action door with two spring loaded latches allows for fail proof capture. The trap also features two handles so two people can easily transport the captured animal
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Building material for nest boxes
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10 - 4'x8' plywood exterior grade 5/8"
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Building material for steel cage stands
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6 - 4'x8' plywood 24 - 2x4x8' studs 16 caster wheels
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Building material for nursery
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10 - 4x8 tile board 5 - 4x8 drywall 1/2"36 - 2x4x8 studs1 screen door
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Even the smallest donations are of great help to us...
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Strawberry Flavoured Ensure
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Help us keep our overwintering wildlife's water source from freezing this winter!
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102 ounce heated pet water bowl made from durable stainless steel prevents water from freezing, even at -20°F, keeping your pet hydrated no matter the weather.
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If you encounter a wild animal that you believe needs help, please call us first at 905.729.0033
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If you encounter a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal, please call first at 905-729-0033 and leave a message. A volunteer will return your call ASAP and will complete the admitting form over the phone with you.
Our telephone lines are operated from 10am to 5pm daily. If outside of business hours, you will be called back the following morning. You will be given a phone number to call upon your arrival with strict instructions to be followed.
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Please follow them and do not come directly to the front door.
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Thank you. Procyon Wildlife
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Procyon Wildlife is a Registered Charity* dedicated to rescue, rehabilitate and safely release orphaned and injured wildlife. * Reg Charity # 818086621RR0001
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Our Mission: Procyon Wildlife is dedicated to working with our communities in an effort to help wild animals in need of care. Our goals are to rescue, rehabilitate and safely release these animals, and to promote public appreciation for wildlife preservation.
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