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11/06/2005 01:03:01 PM · #1 |
Cornell Vet School Emergency service is a joke on the weekends! ARGH!@
I have a squirrel who is paralyzed in the back, has to pull himself around by his front feet. My neighbor found him. We got him in a cat carrier and he's sitting in my house, now on the picnic table outside because I didn't want the dogs, cats or kids to accidently get bitten should they decide to investigate.
I called Cornell to make sure someone was there in the wildlife program to take him in.
"Oh, he might have rabies, I have to call the student on duty and they will call you back to let you know WHERE you can take him because we can't take him here."
"Okay, fine, here's my number."
15 minutes later I call back, "Oh I paged them, I'll page them again."
"Thank you!"
15 minutes later I call back, "Oh they are on their way in, they will call you as soon as they get here, htey are only 10 minutes away."
"Okay, thank you, I would really like to get this taken care of."
15 FREAKIN' MINUTES LATER
I call back, "Oh, she tried calling you there was no answer!"
"Impossible, I haven't left the phone for even a second, what number do you have?"
She read the number, guess what? YEP! She had a digit wrong.
"Listen," I said, "I'm normally a very patient person but I also don't normally have a wild squirrel in my house with my 3 kids, 4 dogs and 6 cats so I would really like to have this taken care of as soon as possible, I'm sure YOU understand."
"Well ma'am, she has other emergencies to deal with as well."
"And I understand that! What I don't understand is that if you can't take the squirrel there because it might have rabies why don't you have a list of numbers I can call right there rather than making me wait or the next person for that matter?"
"Oh no ma'am, we might be able to take it here, it's up to the student on call, they have to make the decision and she's on her way in now, she's only 10 minutes away, I'll page her again with the right number to call you."
*Deep heavy sigh* "Fine, thank you."
It's been 10 minutes and still no call. I swear sometimes it just doesn't pay to be a good person to try and help the animals if no one else is going to help you.
Deannda
Counting, counting, trying to remain calm |
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11/06/2005 01:14:00 PM · #2 |
I'm not sure about where you are, but here there are volunteer animal rehabilitators who handle these types of emergencies. Animal control, The Humane Society or the Parks Service might be able to put you in touch with them.
They take the animal and get it to a vet, then rehab and release.
Message edited by author 2005-11-06 13:26:39. |
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11/06/2005 01:29:21 PM · #3 |
Probably around Ithaca New York, if my memory serves as to the location of Cornell University. Sorry to hear about the little squirrel, but they do fall out of trees once in a while - one fell and hit the wheelbarrow my wife was pushing in the yard just this year and he too broke his back, but much worse than yours. Anyway, wanted to mention, in case you did not know it, that on Ebay, under community, discussion boards is the animal board. Originally was to talk about the collecting of animal figurines, but is not almost completely about the care and love of all animals, domestic and wild. LOTS of rehabilatators there, vets and vet assistants, etc. Get the time, check it out, may like it as much as my wife and I do. I am olddj there too, feel free to come and look all you want. There was a message about a sick squirrel a few days ago, may find some help there!!
Jacque |
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11/06/2005 01:50:25 PM · #4 |
| BTW, I was in a human clinic a couple of weeks ago where I met a man with deep bite marks, on his fingers, due to handling a squirrel with leather gloves. Squirrels can bite really hard, so be careful! |
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11/06/2005 01:58:51 PM · #5 |
build him a pair of wheels for his hind end so that the poor thing isn,t dragging itself around.
then go give alot of grief to those incompetent idiots.
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11/06/2005 02:17:10 PM · #6 |
Neufer, kudos to you for trying to find help for a suffering animal!
I think you're lucky to get any response at all from an organization. Unfortunately, the organizations that used to respond to such cases in our area have pretty much disappeared. I think it's difficult for them to maintain licensing and find funding for their efforts on behalf of animals most folks would relegate to "road kill" status. I checked for places in your area and the best they will do is refer you for rabies cases, nuisances, and DPW dead animal pick-ups.
It's very heartening to know that there are people like you that can't bear to see an animal in pain--even if it's "just" a squirrel--and try to do something positive about it!
Good luck with the folks from Cornell! |
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11/06/2005 03:30:08 PM · #7 |
| just kill him and dump him in the trash, saves everyone a lot of trouble ;) |
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11/06/2005 03:50:33 PM · #8 |
As I see it you have two options:
1) Let the squirrel go and let nature do as nature does.
2) Kill the squirrel yourself. Humane, but difficult.
Cutting edge medicine cannot make a paralyzed man walk. Medicine is no further along for squirrelkind. Whoever is going to pick up your squirrel is likely to do just the same (although I suppose with an injection which may be easier)...
Your heart is in the right place, but I'm afraid there's not much that can be done.
Message edited by author 2005-11-06 15:51:35. |
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11/06/2005 03:52:10 PM · #9 |
| This just in... "SQUIRREL GETS LETHAL INJECTION" |
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11/06/2005 03:53:01 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by kpriest:
This just in... "SQUIRREL GETS LETHAL INJECTION" |
That sounds like a headline for a popular publication, Ken!
(Hint, hint...) |
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11/06/2005 04:46:35 PM · #11 |
Ohh, take a pic of the little guy with the needle in his arm for Dead End!
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11/06/2005 05:06:48 PM · #12 |
Do they have stem cell research for squirrels?
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11/06/2005 06:30:58 PM · #13 |
Perhaps you should check the phone book and see if there is an animal control unit in your neighborhood.
Check here. Someone should be able to assist you. //www.ci.elmira.ny.us/shelter/animal_control.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Elmira-Heights-New-York.html
Message edited by author 2005-11-06 18:38:27. |
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11/06/2005 06:40:42 PM · #14 |
I had a very distressing incident during winter last year where I found a deer in my field early one morning, only problem is that it obviously had a broken leg and there were two dogs eating it alive!!!!! I was hysterical, there was snow on the ground and it had obviously been struggling for quite some time judging by the blood and cleared area that it was laying in. We tried for over an hour to get someone out to put it out of its misery as it had been severely mauled, we couldnt do it ourselves as that is illegal where I am. After standing outside keeping the dogs at bay in the freezing cold for over an hour a guy from the parks department contacted us and told my husband that I didnt have to stand watching the deer he would get there when he could. My husband told him that I was too compassionate to leave an animal to be eaten alive by a pack of dogs. After nearly two hours he came and shot the poor thing. It still haunts me every time I drive out of my property and see where it was. These people are meant to love animals, didnt show in this instance. No-one wanted to help out.
Sorry about the squirrel, I hate to see things suffer.
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