Open letter to Minister of Natural Resources from Wildlife Rehabber
As an Authorized Wildlife Custodian [AWC] under the MNR today, with 45 years’ experience in wildlife rehabilitation of orphaned wildlife, the first years should have been more difficult with no internet and the money to get into computers, having no place to find information etc.
Yet rehabbers found each other, shared information, and found people willing to give up summer vacations and so much of their own and their families lives for the 4-6 months, plus the cost, space in the home and daily time.
By about 2000 there were over 200 of us when the MNR decided to get involved although they less qualifications than we did! In the next last 25 years they have learn very little on what the average Home/Backyard Rehabilitator, did or needed and they still nothing about the actual wildlife.
I was told by my first District Rep, Delbert, that the last thing they needed was to represent rehabilitators. Their days were full as it was, and they admitted they knew little but most listened and learned. More rules were made with no consultation and many didn’t made sense unless you financially able to run it as a business and able to purchase land, hire people etc. Where most rehabbers have been Home/Backyard rehabbers. Then we got more rules and changes.
It has always been obvious the MNR didn’t want us. We are volunteers…yet never have they helped us financially or provided the education they should have. The parameters of the government rules of how to use volunteers, have teen totally ignored.
The MNR keeps pretending to help us with information meetings, yet they don’t even recognize that there is no time during baby season for a rehabber to give.
The education they expect us to have is either not available or not financially feasible to many. If I were to apply today with what I have garnered over those 45 years of experience, I would not be authorized. Yet, I have presented Care of Orphaned Skunks in the United States and in Ontario at organized conferences. I written 3 booklets to help new rehabbers to care for skunks, squirrels and raccoons. Because there is nothing else that gives what you need when you have your hands on the animal.
Could I morally recommend anyone to become an AWC? NO!
How could I when the MNR doesn’t follow their own rules, even inspections with inspections.
We should be partners with our reps, we don’t even get to know them or them us. It seems the MNR trust public opinion over their rehabilitators. This was not the first raid. Instead dropping in for a surprise inspection, which by their own rules they should have done, waste money and time in an overblown drug style raid. They had no idea how to transport the animals they animals the remove, not following any approve isolation/quarantine protocols!
They caused a family to lose their business, their home, their reputation and caused PTSD! They are still being dragged through the court system 2 years later???
Were we told anything? No. Sooo…. Who is next? You know it isn’t easy seeing a man with a gun at your front door at the best of time with a regular inspection. But full-blown drugs style raids!
Does the MNR assumed that we all must be involve black market selling wildlife. Why would we when it is so easy and to go out and trap one yourself?
Is there any trust or respect for the MNR……no. I have had experiences, of trust and respect but that was years ago. It started to come back slowly in the more recent past, but I cannot morally encourage anyone to become authorized when they could be treated like criminals at any moment.
The Ontario government cares to so little about wildlife we have left in Ontario, they want to retract the protection limitations of species at risk and our environment …. why do I even think they should care and try to help the few humans who deal with wildlife helping wildlife?
Silly me.
Laurel A. Beechey
Skunk Haven
Tillsonburg, Ontario
Email: lbeechey52@gmail.com
519-842-9416
Media Contact
Sandy Donald
416-436-9892
sandy@ontariowildliferescue.ca
