Wildlife Hotline Call Log: Week of 11/19/2012

Wildlife Hotline Call Blotter – Week of 11/19/12

We are the Bi-State Wildlife Hotline, a not for profit, 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that assists the public with wildlife conflicts, questions, rescues and rehabilitation. Our hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is answered live by wildlife specialists throughout the state of Missouri, as well as Illinois. We are 100 percent volunteer-based (and always looking for more!), and we receive no state or federal funding. The Hotline survives on private donations from people like you!  

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Date

Time

Location

Description

Disposition

11/19

8:30a

Wildwood, MO

Sick raccoon in resident’s yard under patio table. Lives very close to Wild Horse Creek Rd (recent distemper outbreak). 

Dispatched rehabber to pick up.  Confirmed ill – having seizures, bloody mouth, unable to stand, distemper+, euthanized.

11/19

10:10a

St. Louis City, MO

Family of raccoons living under resident’s front porch.  Neighbor feeds area cats and attracts wildlife to yard. Cannot get neighbor to stop, and raccoons now live under porch. Resident has children and dog.

Advised – use ammonia rag/bags to deter, cayenne pepper at entrance, stuff hole with newspaper, wait for evacuation and seal all entrances.

11/19

10:11a

St. Louis City, MO

Frisco Security found baby squirrel (eyes still closed) in cement parking garage, no visible nest nearby or trees.  Finder has picked up baby and put him in box indoors to keep warm for now.

Dispatched rehabber to pick up. Admitted 89gram four week old, eyes closed male. Will raise and release back to wild in spring 2013.

11/20

9:12a

Fenton, MO

Sick raccoon walking in circles for extended period of time.  Won’t lie down, unafraid of people, clearly suffering.  Very populated area, animal near school bus stop.

Dispatched, picked up raccoon, confirmed distemper, euthanized.

11/20

9:28a

Weldon Springs, MO

Coyote out during day, hard to chase off, doesn’t respond to noise or proximity.  Resident threw rock and then coyote left, no injuries seen.  Resident worried about rabies, and his children/pets.

Advised that coyotes are not exclusively nocturnal, symptoms of mange, went over symptoms of rabies as well and advised it has been decades since last rabies+ in coyote in MO. Gave deterrent advice.

11/20

9:50a

West St. Louis County, MO

Injured crow in parking lot for last couple of days. Can’t fly but does hop well.  Caller willing to assist to get bird help but bird is at her school, not her home.

Advised caller we can pick up birds only after they are contained by putting box or laundry basket over it. Caller will let us know when contained.

11/20

2:48p

Kirkwood, MO

Resident found owl on ground behind apartment complex. Other small birds attacking/swooping down at owl and she seems to be unable to fly or walk away.  May have eye injury but resident cannot tell for sure – hasn’t gotten that close.  Other birds want owl to leave (normal predatory response) but owl unable to do so.

Advised caller to please put box or laundry basket over her to protect from other birds until we arrive on scene.

11/20

3:12

Kirkwood, MO

Same caller as previous call.  Resident took box outside to put over owl and owl suddenly decided to hop/fly up into a tall tree –too high for us to retrieve.  Holding one wing out in a strange way – possibly broken?

Advised caller to keep an eye out for owl on ground again, if she falls. Call us back if/when she is able to be retrieved.

11/21

8:38a

Brighton, IL

Injured squirrel found in yard, already in crate/box contained safely.

Referred to closest rehabber – Treehouse Wildlife in Brighton, but call ahead.  Squirrel later admitted and in rehab.

11/21

9:15a

Sappington, MO

Squirrel clinging onto resident’s patio door screen and bleeding profusely out of mouth, nose, ears.

Advised caller- probably rat poison that someone put outdoors, neighbor? Squirrel left door while on call, ran up tree. Advised caller – squirrel will die in next 60 mins and is not a rehab candidate.

11/21

3:49p

Collinsville, IL

Wild turkey hanging out in parking lot of local Wal-Mart and has been in area for over a week. Residents concerned that he cannot fly and will starve/freeze.

Advised – it is turkey season, seeing them everywhere is normal. Drove thru later in day, turkey is able to fly but doesn’t want to leave.

11/21

4:54p

Imperial, MO

Blue heron with injured wing down by creek. Family dogs found bird, unable to fly, not fast even on legs.  Caller willing to help in rescue attempt.

Dispatched but dark outside, could not find heron.  Left carrier for resident, advised to let us know if she sees him again.

11/21

5:01p

Springfield, MO

Injured duck using only one leg, in well populated local park/lake but isolated from other ducks.  Fish hook in leg.

Advised we cannot do ‘wild goose chase’ but if caller can contain w/ box or basket, rehabber can be dispatched. If duck can escape us trying to catch, she will also escape predators.

11/21

9:38p

Florissant, MO

Opossum in trash can, rolling type can with plastic attached lid.  When resident opens lid, opossum tries to hide and holds very still.  Left lid open, but opossum did not leave.  Trash can nearly empty.

Advised caller that opossums have no major disease risk. Either throw more trash away for opossum to climb or tip trash can on side and give LOTS of time for opossum to leave.

11/22 Thanksgiving

7:05a

Webster Groves, MO

Sick raccoon found in yard, contained in trap already.  Was seizing, unable to walk, and easy to capture.

Dispatched, picked up, euthanized.

11/23

12:16a

St. Louis County, MO

Caller witnessed unknown mammal species coming out of sewer near yard and wants removed immediately to protect children.  Not sure if it is a ‘baby’ opossum or really large rat – approximately 2lb, brown in color, long tail that is NOT fluffy? No nearby ponds/lakes/creeks.

Unknown species from description. Advised we cannot remove healthy wildlife and coexistence is best. Make sure home does not allow animals to enter, and trim bushes, cayenne pepper, trash can secured.

11/23

8:57a

Crestwood, MO

Crestwood police department picked up raccoon from back yard of resident. Circling, out during day, disoriented, approachable and non-aggressive.  Attempted to take in for euthanasia and was turned away and referred to licensed rehabber.

Dispatched, picked up, evaluated and euthanized.  Distemper.

11/23

9:59a

Fenton/Gravois Bluffs

Bat found on cement wall in shopping center by hand rail that customers use.

Picked up, released nearby away from stores.

11/23

10:45a

Fenton, MO

Injured deer in Fenton, swollen knee, no blood visible, still mobile.

Advised of deer rehab policy, and asked if she can monitor deer and keep us updated. Deer may be immobile. If so, call MDC to euthanize. Gave county agent’s cell #.

11/23

12:30p

Columbia, IL

Fawn (deer) that still has spots showed up in horse pasture today. Some horses chased her off, but now friendly with resident’s gelding. Caller needs to know what to do, if anything.

Advised that Mom comes back at dusk, but it is hunting season and possible that Mom died. If so, baby sounds old enough to be okay, but might hang out with gelding for a week or two.

11/24

10:03a

Lemay, MO

Dog got squirrel.  Squirrel alive but unable to walk/run/climb.  Finder placed box over squirrel to protect from weather and predators.

Referred to WRC High Ridge, admitted.  Died within one hour of internal injuries.

11/24

12:05p

Affton, MO

Adult buck (whitetail deer) seen under bridge on Green Park Rd @ Reavis Barracks Rd. Buck unable to stand/possibly stuck in mud.  Finder saw yesterday and still today – 24+ hours in same spot.  Animal is lying in the water under the bridge, with just front legs on bank. 

Disptached rescue. On scene buck was having seizures and suffering probably due to blue tongue/EH disease and needed euthanasia. Affton police notified, euthanized on site. MDC notified of carcass.

11/24

2:44p

Fenton, MO

Raccoon acting strange, unable to walk, unafraid of people and pets, probable distemper.

Rescued, euthanized.

11/24

5:04p

Bolivar, MO

Owl found on road, can’t fly, eye injured, non-aggressive.  Has tried to reach MDC but not heard back.

Referred to S. Illig w/ Dickerson Park Zoo. Picked up that night, now in rehab @ zoo pending xrays.

11/25

2:34a

Wildwood. MO

Found fox in middle of road in Wildwood, can’t walk, non-aggressive, no visible injuries, but obviously suffering. Placed fox in a cardboard box and brought home. Keeping in garage. Has pets in home, all up to date on vaccinations. 

Advised of distemper outbreak. Warned about pets. Advised keep in garage until morning and call MO Wildlife in Ballwin to euthanize.

11/25

3:07a

Kirkwood, MO

Kirkwood Police Dept. found injured owl on side of road while on patrol.  Contained in box, in office and calm.

Advised keep on site until 8am and we can pick up or they can transport to World Bird in Valley Park. Do not feed or give water. Keep cool.  Transferred to WBS in morning, still in rehab.

11/25

9:19a

Chesterfield, MO

“Chubby” raccoon found in homeowner’s privacy fence – stuck with half of body on one side of fence and other half of body in neighbor’s yard.  Still alive, not happy, and can’t get out. 

Disptached rescuers, sedated raccoon, removed her from fence, admitted to recover from exhaustion. While recovering, discovered shoulder dislocation/injury. Going to vet for xrays

11/25

11:17a

Wentzville, MO

Injured woodpecker – flew into window and stunned himself, but has injuries w/ blood.

Referred to Wild Bird Rehab in Overland, MO.

11/25

11:53a

Kansas City, MO

Domestic rescue is responding to a stray dog needing vet care inside Elmwood Cemetery on Truman Rd. in downtown KCMO. Dog has best friend – a female/doe deer that he sleeps, eats, and runs with. Rescue concerned that doe will not fare well without dog. Doe is also imprinted to people and dogs. Finder fed carrots by hand.

Advised to trap dog, doe will move on. Alerting MDC of imprinted doe, but hopefully will acclimate and become more “wild” as she meets other deer instead of dog.

11/25

4:57p

Chesterfield, MO

Raccoon is same place for 3+ hours at Schoettler Valley & Grantley Rd.  in yard, approachable, disoriented, probable distemper.

Sent rescuer, but did not find and catch raccoon until 11/26 in morning. Distemper – euthanized.

11/25

5:51p

Granite City, IL

Hawk stuck in screened-in porch.  Hawk tore hole in screen upon entry, but cannot see tear to get back out.

Advised caller to open doors to porch from outside, and give hawk one hour to find his way out before we dispatch. Hawk escaped.

11/25

9:12p

Kirkwood, MO

Finder at Animal Emergency Clinic in Kirkwood with songbird that he found in a glue trap in his home. Was out of town for 3 days, not sure how long bird was in trap. Removed bird from trap with Dawn dish detergent and water, but still cannot fly.

Met finder at AEC’s office, admitted bird. Cleaned and moisturized eyes, unstuck beak to allow food and drink. Held overnight for Wild Bird Rehab, but before morning bird died.