Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
How many people do you know who would lasso a wounded emu free of charge? Although you won't see many wild emus running around in Kosciusko County, there are specialists who know how to care for injured deer, raccoons and other wild animals.
Cindy Schlabach is one of those specialists, a wildlife rehabilitator whom the Department of Natural Resources contacts in the case of injured animals. Schlabach explained how she first got involved caring for wild animals.
Schlabach, who used to work at a veterinarian office, said, "Someone brought in an injured fawn, it just wouldn't drink from a bottle, so I took it home with me and tried to get the fawn to nurse from my goat. Ever since, I've been caring for animals."
Recently a frantic caller reached Schlabach at her home: "A baby fawn with a broken leg is lying in my front yard."
Schlabach jumped into her vehicle and headed to the scene to tend the wounded fawn.
"This is an out-of-pocket adventure," said Schlabach. "I'm on call 24 hours a day."
Only a small band of these wildlife rehabilitation experts reside in Kosciusko County. Most, like Schlabach, work out of their homes, sometimes nursing up to 30 raccoons at a time with milk bottles.
Big cities often provide a center or department where wounded animals can be taken and cared for. In smaller counties, the DNR refers citizens to independent animal caretakers like Schlabach.
Not every animal caretaker is independent, though. Other DNR contacts include control officers or veterinarians.
Dee Kotterman, animal control officer out of the Syracuse Police Department, often handles wounded animals. She once had to care for a Burmese python.
"People don't really even think twice before they call me," said Kotterman. "It's kind of funny how my name gets passed around."
Kotterman and Schlabach often get little warning, if any, about injured or abandoned animals that need attention.
"Sometimes I'll come back to my house and there will be a box full of baby raccoons with a note attached to it," said Schlabach. "Somebody found them and they figure I can care for them."
Often Kotterman and Schlabach receive calls about orphaned bunnies, raccoons or opossums.
"Once in a while a strange call will come in, though," said Kotterman. "I've taken calls for injured hawks or skunks."
Dr. Madeylnn Allen has had her share of uncommon injured animals.
"I've nursed a falcon back to health," said Allen. "It had a fractured clavicle."
Allen is a veterinarian who works alongside wildlife caretakers. She provides medical attention in severe cases, such as the fawn that needed a steel rod in its leg.
All-around animal rehabilitation is a team effort.
"If Cindy has 25 raccoons that she's nursing, she'll call me up and we'll split the burden," said Kotterman.
Kotterman and Schlabach, endorsed through the state, renew their licenses yearly. Schlabach occasionally attends a seminar offered by the DNR concerning animal rehabilitation.
Kotterman said she does believe the rewards make it worth it.
"I form a special bond with the animals I care for," said Kotterman. "One time, after nursing an injured squirrel I took it back into the wild. It took four separate trips for the squirrel to stay in the woods. It kept running after me, up my leg and sitting on my shoulders."
Extreme caution should be exercised when someone comes across an injured animal.
"I know of some real foolish things people have done," said Kotterman. "Injured animals are not cute little furry balls."
"One time a family took a wounded coon into their house," said Kotterman. "The coon had maggots on it and the family had to get their house sanitized. They're lucky the coon didn't hurt their little children."
"Many times people approach an injured animal without even thinking twice," said Allen. "People need to be cautious; these animals might have rabies. When they're injured, they're not predictable."
Tips when confronted with a wounded animal:
1. Be cautious, don't approach the animal.
2. Call the DNR.
3. Keep children away from the animal.
