North Texas Wildlife Center cares for more than just living animals
PLANO – The Sunday afternoon at the North Texas Wildlife Center started off like most others, as a handful of its more than 100 volunteers fed small animals that needed round-the-clock care.
"I am a human nurse in my actual job," said a volunteer. "And was trying to figure out a way to contribute."
The nonprofit is in its slow season right now but still takes in creatures daily — from birds to squirrels to baby opossums.
"Knowing that, even just something as simple as feeding or refilling their water," said another volunteer. "You're helping them survive."
But this day's patients were a little different and a lot more lovable. When the center received a donation of bags of stuffing, North Texas Wildlife Center President Rebecca Hamlin decided to put it to good use and help restore stuffed animals.
"This time of year we mostly get a lot of trauma cases," Hamlin explained. "We're getting in about four or five animals a day. It's really hard emotionally for us. So this is a way for us to do something fun, engage with the community, build that rapport with the community, educate the public."
Sure enough, a trauma case came calling — what the center called a 'glue trap rabbit.' That meant a sticky trap that was set out for rats and mice accidentally caught a bunny. The group acted quickly once they got the call, preparing coconut oil, newspaper, towels and setting up an incubator.
Once the rabbit was inside, the team had to act fast, since rabbits can die quickly if they are kept in an unfamiliar environment for too long. Hamlin had to get the animal unstuck and away from humans — and it was jumpy.
But soon, she freed its hind legs by cutting off some fur and got the rabbit into the incubator. She said they would probably release the animal in a day or two.
The family who brought the rabbit in said their son found the stuck rabbit, so the center took the opportunity to educate them on ways to rabbit-proof their house.
"I saw on Facebook," the mother said. "There is this North Texas Wildlife Rescue thing, so I checked my Facebook, then called the number."
Stitching up a stuffed animal, freeing a rabbit and feeding a baby opossum — all in a day's work at the wildlife center.