Patient 09-100203. Our executive director, Sharon Schmalz was at the Wildlife Center when she received a call from a train engineer in Beaumont. He told her a small owl had been riding on a the stairs on the engine of his train and wouldn’t (couldn’t) fly away.
As Sharon talked with the gentleman it was determined he would be coming right by the Wildlife Center on tracks that ran through Houston. He called back when he arrived in Houston and Sharon jumped over the fence behind the Houston SPCA and rescued the little Screech Owl.
The train blew its whistle, as it chugged away and the Screech Owl came to the Wildlife Center for a couple of weeks of supportive care to bring it up to a healthy weight. It was released several weeks later after time in a big flight cage to build muscle tone.
Patient 09-100533. came to us after crashing into a window at the VA Hospital. The very large Red-tailed Hawk had some minor wing damage and was of poor body weight. He spent many weeks at the Wildlife Center under the watchful eye of several veterinarians. He began to put on weight and soon the soft tissue damage was healed. After several weeks of flight therapy in an off-site flight cage to strengthen this wings, he was released to once again soar over the skies of Houston.
Patient 09-100146 was the prize trophy of a neighborhood cat. The little Eastern Grey squirrel had several puncture marks and was scared to death. After a complete exam the little guy’s wounds were treated and he was hand fed for several weeks.
On April 14th he was released with six other Eastern Gray squirrels on a small acreage in League City. This area was hit hard by hurricane Ike so the property owners are providing back up food and nesting boxes for these little squirrels to aid them until the habitat returns to pre-hurricane status.
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