Five Barn Owls Fly Free Thanks to PAWS

On May 5, employees at the Quincy Animal Shelter in Eastern Washington discovered a box sitting on their doorstep. It was not surprising to find a box on the doorstep of the shelter as the appearance of the mystery box is a common occurrence in the animal sheltering world. But the box on the doorstep of the Quincy shelter did not contain the expected puppies or kittens. Instead, workers who opened the box came face to face with five downy Barn Owl chicks. There was no note or information of any kind left with the birds so reuniting them with their parents was not a possibility. The shelter contacted PAWS Wildlife Center (Lynwood, Washington 98087) for help, and PAWS dispatched a volunteer to retrieve the owls and transport them to Lynnwood for care.

All five Barn Owls thrived during their time at the center. A June 9 post on the PAWS Blog provided an update on their progress. By the end of June, all five owls had reached the point where they were ready and able to fend for themselves. On June 29, PAWS Wildlife Naturalist Kevin Mac transported them back over the Cascade Mountains to a 4,000-acre wildlife preserve called Swauk Creek Ranch. This would become their new home. Swauk Creek Ranch manager Eric Morris assisted with the release.

The photographs tell the story.

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Urgent Message: DC Wildlife Needs Your Help

From the Washington Humane Society (Washington, DC 20012)

Last year, the DC City Council unanimously passed the Wildlife Protection Act which was designed to provide much needed protection against cruel and archaic practices. It was also designed to provide a level of consumer protection when dealing with businesses hired to resolve wildlife conflicts. This important piece of legislation is now in danger of being repealed by Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf of the 10th District (Northern Virginia). He may be considering adding an amendment to a piece of federal legislation in order to repeal this DC city law.

Whether you live in the Congressman’s District or in DC, please contact him today and urge him to withdraw any attempts he may have in place to overturn this important piece of animal protection law.

Be a voice for animals today by contacting Congressman Frank Wolf at (202) 225-5136.

For tips on how to be most effective in your calls and letters, check out the WHS Lobbying Tips Web Page.

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Don’t Be a Kidnapper

All wildlife babies do best when with their mothers. Do you know how to tell when a baby deer is really in danger?

Momma deer will deliberately leave her tiny fawn to protect him from predators that can track her scent. Often times, humans assume that the fawn has been abandoned and kidnap the baby deer while mom watches from her hiding spot. With this in mind, the Humane Society of Huron Valley’s (Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105) friends at Help 4 Wildlife put together a list of guidelines to help you decide when a fawn is in need of help or when mom is close by and keeping her baby safe.

Read more on the Humane Society of Huron Valley web site.

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URGENT! Tell your Representatives to Vote NO on Cougar Hound Hunting Today

From PAWS (Lynwood, Washington 98087)

Your action is needed today to stop SSB 5356 in the Washington State House of Representatives. This bill would grant the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) full authority to extend hound hunting of cougars to sport hunters for another five years in designated counties. Although WDFW presents SSB 5356 as a conservation bill that also protects public safety, it’s really a bill which goes directly against the will of the voters and is driven by misinformation and weak science.

The companion version of this bill (HB 1124) was successfully stopped. We now need your help to stop SSB 5356 from passing.

Please take 5 minutes today to tell your representatives you oppose SSB 5356:

• Enter your address to identify your district and representatives.
• Call/ e-mail (or both) your representatives urging them to vote NO on SSB 5356, allowing the hunting of cougars using dogs, on the full House floor.

HELPFUL HINTS: Calling is fast, easy and very impactful. Legislative staff will take your call. Follow up with a polite e-mail to thank them, and to solidify your action. To avoid forms, use the legislator e-mail directory.

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Say NO today to Sport Hound Hunting of Cougars

From PAWS (Lynwood, Washington 98087)

HB 1124 is currently moving through the Washington State House of Representatives and would grant the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) full authority to extend hound hunting of cougars to sport hunters. This bill is not based on solid conservation and science, but instead is driven by misinformation and scare tactics about protecting public safety. We need your help today to stop HB 1124 from passing on the full House floor!

Help preserve a healthy cougar population in Washington State by taking less than five minutes to:

• Identify your representatives.
• Contact them (by phone, e-mail or both) and urge them to oppose HB 1124, allowing sport hunters to hunt cougars with hounds.

HELPFUL HINTS: Calling is the fastest and most impactful action. Staff will take your call and are often amiable. Following up with a polite e-mail solidifies your action if you have time. To avoid cumbersome forms, find your representative’s e-mail using the legislator e-mail directory.

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Late Summer Wildlife Tips

Even though summer is winding down, wild animals are still active as they prepare for the long winter. This time of year, Raccoon populations are highest as young ones venture out with mom to forage for food. That means encounters may increase, particularly for your pets. What should you do?

• Feed your pets inside. If that’s not possible, then pick up leftover food and dishes when your pet is finished eating and drinking. Raccoons are attracted to pet food and even its remnants on the dishes.
• Before you let pets outside at night, check your yard. Even if your pets don’t mean any harm to Raccoons, they, especially the mom, will act defensively.
• Do not let your cats roam freely around the neighborhood, especially at night.
• Close and lock pet doors, as Raccoons may be curious enough to follow the smell of food inside.

While most wild babies have left the nest, many squirrels are now raising their second litter t his year. That means some mother squirrels may have made dens in unlikely places, like attics or crawlspaces or even stranger, in a stove vent, like a Ballard man in this story discovered. Squirrels and other animals will take advantage of warm, safe places to raise their young. If you discover a squirrel has made a den in your house, read these tips from PAWS (Lynwood, Washington 98087) on encouraging her to move on and to prevent her from moving in again.

To get answers to any of your wildlife questions, you can call PAWS Wildlife Center at 425.412.4040.

A champion for animals, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (Lynwood, Washington 98087) is a nationally recognized leader in rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife, sheltering and adopting homeless pets, and educating people to make a better world for animals and humans.

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Bird Watching for You Debuts Blog to Captivate and Educate Birding Enthusiasts

Ever since Jack Kidd was just a boy, he’s held a distinct fascination for birds; observing them in their natural habitat, drawing them into his yard for feeding, bath time, and studying the various species and the regions they descend from.

“Purple Martins are my favorite; as a child my grandpa built me a six-compartment birdhouse, designed specifically for this breed, which sat atop a 20-foot pole in my backyard. Around March 1 they’d flock to the house and stay through August,” Kidd recalls.

Today, Kidd has called upon his personal experience, in-depth knowledge and admiration of birds to develop a blog, www.BirdWatchingForYouBlog.com. This interactive tool was designed to provide expertise and guidance about the many facets of birding; from what’s required to become an adequate bird watcher, what to wear, when to go, and where to look, to tips on how to attract birds into a backyard and what types of birdhouses draw-in what types of birds.

The blog, however, is only half of Kidd’s online presence. Launched in November 2009, www.BirdWatchingForYou.com is a Web-store counterpart that presents a haven for birding enthusiasts (avid and beginner) as it distributes the necessary information and supplies to get started. After all, birding is the second most popular hobby in the United States (just behind gardening), he insists.

“My dad, an avid bird watcher, was my greatest inspiration in developing my own passion for birding. He used to take me to the beaches, often with his good friend and renowned author, Roy Bedichek, to observe the birds,” Kidd said.

Shoppers are invited to visit Kidd’s Web site to browse through a vast collection of bird-watching supplies; from binoculars and apparel to bird books and guides, the essentials, and more, are available. Additionally, shoppers will find birdbaths, birdhouses, and birdfeeders of traditional and artisan varieties.

Swoop in today to take a look around; customer feedback and questions are welcome.

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Watch for Babies in Your Yard

It’s natural this time of year to get the itch to clean up your yard and start fresh. But before you prune trees, cut back bushes, or clear brush piles, wait! They could be harboring a nest of newborns.

Fledgling Golden-crowned Kinglets

Most wild animal parents are in full-swing raising the newest generation of their species, so consider these points before you get busy cleaning:

• Wait until fall, when the young ones have left their nests, to trim trees and clear brush piles.
• If you can’t wait, thoroughly inspect for nests. Look carefully, as some nests are so small and well-camouflaged they are easy to miss (hummingbird nests, for example).
• If you knock down a nest, check the babies for injuries. If they’re okay, and the nest is intact, you can put it back on a secure branch. Make sure it’s well-covered from the sun and rain, and out of reach of pets. (It’s a myth that parents will abandon their babies if a human touches them.)
• If the babies are hurt, follow PAWS’ guide on helping injured or orphaned wildlife. You can also find tips on creating a surrogate nest if the original one is destroyed.
• If it’s safe, consider leaving the dead tree on your property. Dead trees are perfect habitat for many animals, such as woodpeckers and Flying Squirrels, and they’re getting harder to come by for wildlife who need them.

For questions about wildlife, call PAWS at 425.412.4040.

A champion for animals, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (Lynwood, Washington 98087) is a nationally recognized leader in rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife, sheltering and adopting homeless pets, and educating people to make a better world for animals and humans.

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Free the Killer Whale

by Jane Velez-Mitchell, HLN

When it comes to animal exploitation — follow the money. Using animals for entertainment is big business, plain and simple. The killer whale Tilikum has helped SeaWorld sell millions of dollars worth of tickets.

In the process this highly intelligent, social creature has gone through what we can only assume is hell. The hell is called confinement. Veteran whale trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed February 22 when the 12,300-pound killer whale dragged her into a tank at the park and held her underwater long enough to drown her. It happened in front of a crowd, just as she was rubbing the whale after a show.

Read more from Jane on CNN’s HLN.

Last Thursday night, February 25, Jane and Jack Hanna, well-known animal expert, appeared on Showbiz Tonight and discussed the topic of captured whales. You can view the videohere.

Jane Velez-Mitchell hosts “Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell,” a topical event-driven show with a wide range of viewpoints that airs every night on HLN at 7 p.m. ET. An animal activist, she is a member of the board of Animal Cruelty Investigations and a member of PETA.

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