AVC Wildlife fundraising for new space after avian flu shuts down rehab work

The AVC Wildlife Service is fundraising for a brand new separate remedy house after avian influenza pressured them to cease taking in wild birds in March 2022. 

This 12 months, for the primary time, the service would be the beneficiary of all donations UPEI receives for Giving Tuesday — the identify given to the Tuesday following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Dr. Lara Cusack, an assistant professor in zoo, exotics and wildlife drugs on the Atlantic Veterinary Faculty, mentioned the necessity for the wild chicken restriction was disappointing for individuals like her, who’re enthusiastic about rehab work.

“The governing physique suggestions have been [that] except you have got house to isolate these animals once they are available to be sure that they do not have indicators of avian influenza, then you definately aren’t allowed to do wildlife rehab,” Cusack mentioned.

“Numerous establishments would have the flexibility to try this — separate these animals once they are available, triage them for indicators in keeping with avian flu.”

Cusack mentioned the state of affairs on the AVC is difficult, as a result of they’ve client-owned unique pets being handled one room away from the wildlife room. Unique pets embody parrots, guinea pigs and rabbits. 

“Proper now, we’re actually restricted by the quantity of house that we have, with the intention to maintain these animals separate and secure from our client-owned exotics,” she mentioned.

“For instance, a parrot versus a wild goose really want[s] to be housed in separate locations. That is to stop cross-contamination of illnesses that may unfold between our wildlife in addition to our home species.”

‘It is devastating’

Cusack mentioned the danger of avian flu being unfold has meant turning away wild birds that Islanders needed to carry to the wildlife service for remedy.

“That is been actually disappointing for all of us, clearly, and a giant problem when it comes to the place these different animals go since they can not come into the vet school proper now,” Cusack mentioned. 

“It is devastating. That is why I grew to become a veterinarian. Wildlife may be very close to and expensive to my coronary heart as a result of they’re the animals that are available with out an proprietor, proper? They do not have any individual to look after them.

To not be capable of do this, based mostly on not being able to do it safely for all animals underneath your care, is actually fairly difficult.— Dr. Lara Cusack, Atlantic Veterinary Faculty

 “Now we have good Samaritans who’re greater than prepared to select these animals up and convey them in for care.

“To know that you may most likely repair an animal, or save its life, and to not be capable of do this, based mostly on not being able to do it safely for all animals underneath your care, is actually fairly difficult.”

The highway to restoration

Fiep de Bie, wildlife technician for the AVC Wildlife Service, can also be hoping funds will be raised for a brand new house in order that she will begin treating wild birds once more. 

“It was devastating and heartbreaking, actually … not just for us, the people who work there, but in addition for the scholars. They have been little bit upset as properly.

“It is all very comprehensible, the the explanation why, but it surely additionally means we will not actually do our job.”

On the intense aspect, De Bie mentioned the wildlife service has been capable of deal with one very particular wild chicken: Eagle 450, of their care since October 2021, earlier than the avian flu outbreak took maintain within the area. 

“He was presumably hit by a automotive and had extreme accidents to the pinnacle. After which we found a spinal fracture after we did a CT. He had surgical procedure a couple of month later,” mentioned de Bie.

“He was capable of stand inside per week after the surgical procedure, which was fantastic. This can be a groundbreaking surgical procedure. It is the second one on this planet that we all know of, so this was fairly an achievement.”

Due to avian flu, AVC workers have needed to maintain Eagle 450 on his personal since March.

“We needed to maintain different birds out of right here as a result of in spite of everything that he went by way of — this was a extremely lengthy highway to restoration — we did not need to jeopardize that.”

It was heartbreaking on the identical time that we could not soak up every other raptors or every other birds.—Fiep de Bie, wildlife technician, AVC Wildlife Service

De Bie mentioned Eagle 450 will quickly be heading to his new residence, a brand new enclosure being constructed for him at Hope for Wildlife in Nova Scotia. 

De Bie mentioned the eagle’s restoration has been a consolation for the wildlife service.

“It meant that we might pay a whole lot of consideration to this eagle, and still have the involvement of the scholars on his highway of restoration. In order that was a great factor,” de Bie mentioned. 

“However in fact it was heartbreaking on the identical time that we could not soak up every other raptors or every other birds.”