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Nature's Nursery
A healing place for wild animals
By Sandra Kirkland
 At some time in a child’s life, an injured or orphaned bird or animal finds its way across her path. While the urge to nurse the poor creature back to health or give it a home is strong, it’s not a good idea.
None of us is equipped to help these animals. That’s why there is a Nature’s Nursery where they can be brought for healing and rehabilitation.
Nature’s Nursery (NN) provides protection, shelter and care for wild animals. Their mission is to improve the well-being of Northwest Ohio’s wildlife population through rehabilitation and education. This non-profit, tax-exempt group in Whitehouse, Ohio has been fulfilling its mission since 1989.
The present facility has become too small, so the organization is thrilled to partner with Toledo Metroparks and to expand into the Toledo Metropark’s Blue Creek Conservation Area “as soon as the grant comes in.” Blue Creek was once the Lucas County Workhouse. Where once there were prisoners, there will be injured birds of prey, orphaned animals, former wild animal pets released into the woods by their owners, and an educational center.
 Now in its fifteenth year, NN is run by founder and director Debbie Cooper, staffer Pam Parquette and many volunteers. Ms. Cooper was once the education specialist at the Toledo Zoo, where she received hundreds of calls from people asking what to do with a wild animal they had found. There was no place she could refer these people to, so she decided to provide one.
Ms. Parquette, a paramedic, once picked up an injured squirrel and transported it to NN in the ambulance. She works with the animals daily and goes out to teach children and adults about the wonderful wildlife that shares their neck of the woods with us.
Veterinarian and wildlife enthusiast Mike Shields volunteers his services to Nature’s Nursery two to three times a week to check on the animals’ conditions and performs surgeries when required.
Where do other volunteers come from?
Ms. Parquette answers, “Most of the volunteers come from area colleges and universities, but we also get many retirees. In many instances, someone brings out an injured animal and decides to volunteer.
“We ask that volunteers do a four-hour shift. There’s plenty to do from sunup to sundown, such as cleaning pens and cages, giving meds and answering the hotline. The phone rings 24 hours every day. We’ll get 60 to 70 calls a day.”
WILDLIFE AND NATURE CONVERSATION
On a beautiful day in April, Ms. Parquette was on the bank of Mallard Lake in Oak Openings teaching Archbold Middle School’s seventh graders about owls, possum and other critters. She also told them how important it is that we preserve wildlife habitats. Reading teacher Kevin Miller says, “The kids think this is absolutely cool - to see wild animals so up close.”
 Student Jordan Fruchey shares his views on the program. “I liked Icarus the owl best, the way it looked and how it turns its head. I learned what to do if I find a baby wild animal.”
Classmate Sarah Stuckey also rated Icarus as her favorite animal in the program and said that she’d maybe volunteer at Nature’s Nursery in the future.
CRITTER TALES
Many people think that those molded plastic horned owls will keep birds away from their gardens. Actually, a study was done that showed that sparrows realize that it’s not real within 20 minutes. Nature’s Nursery reported an instance when a woman thought the great horned owl on her air-conditioner condenser was a lawn ornament. It wasn’t.
Ms. Parquette and Ms. Cooper have many funny stories to relate. One of their favorites is about a bat that had found its way into a Swanton woman’s basement.
Apparently, when the woman was gathering dirty clothes from the floor in the upstairs bathroom, she gathered up the bat as well. She didn’t discover it until after she had taken the clothes out of her washing machine and placed them in a basket. She then heard squeaking coming from the basket and when she went to investigate, she discovered the bat. That bat had gone through the wash and spin cycles.
Ms. Cooper said, “That bat had to have been really agitated.” At Nature’s Nursery, there can be many sad endings when rescued animals don’t survive. But there are more happy endings when the animals heal, are rehabilitated and placed back in nature. Pam and Debbie’s best are eagle releases.
“We once found a young, premature, emaciated bald eagle with a fractured hand (the tip of its wing). It weighed only six pounds when it should have weighed ten. Dr. Shields operated on him, and we nursed the eagle for about eight weeks. He recovered, and when he was ready, we took him out to the Magee Marsh at Crane Creek Preserve and released him. As we threw him up in the air, we weren’t sure he’d really be able to fly, but he swooped, circled and flew
away.”
It’s not a good idea to touch wild animals. They carry diseases and parasites that can be passed on to humans and their pets.
Do not try to care for a baby or injured wild animal. It’s not in the best interest of the animal. They need to have the right amount of liquids, and their bodies need to be kept at optimal temperatures before being fed. Formulas from pet stores may not have the necessary nutrients for the animal to thrive later on in life.
An old wive’s tale says that if a human has touched a baby wild animal, the mother will reject it. In reality, it’s better for the animal to be returned to the nest so the mother can take care of it.
While it’s okay to put a wild animal back in the nest after it’s been in a dog’s mouth, it’s a different story if the animal has been in a cat’s mouth. Cats have bacteria in their mouths that can be deadly to most baby animals.
Legally, in the state of Ohio, you need to have a state and/or federal permit to care for wildlife.
It’s against federal law to move a nest that contains eggs of any bird that is protected by the Migratory Bird Act.
If you find a nest in your lawn, shield the nest and mow around it.
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