Thanks Cornell, you saved Oscar!

We moved Oscar from Cornell University back to New York Wildlife Rescue Center tonight. I left school and got to Cornell in record time. All of the vets at The Wildlife Health Center at Cornell did a great job on him. They showed me his xrays, a pretty impressive operation, lots of hardware, when i counted 7 screws I couldnt help but think how lucky the number 7 is. The Cornell University Wildlife Health Center is a non-profit hospital for wild animals. When I expressed my interest in doing what it would take to save him, I knew that the cost of a $3000- to $5000- surgery was out of our budget for an animal that is hopefully still going to be released back into the wild. Cornell Wildlife Health Center is funded by donations. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, you may do so by mailing a check made out to "Cornell Wildlife health Center" c/o the Office of Hospital Operations, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853 I think that they were happy to see the Bobcat leave, it was time and I am glad to have him back here at our facility. ....however long that stay may be. He is on limited movement for the next 2 weeks when he can get a foot high platform. After 4 weeks he can have a 2 foot platform. In 6 weeks, he goes back for a check up to see how things are healing. Then he can go into one of our large enclosures and we can play the watch and wait game to see how he gets around. He has a long road of healing ahead of him this summer. I will keep you updated on his progress. I was speechless (rare for me) when I left the clinic, I will be in the debt of Cornell and the folks at the Wildlife Health Center that saved this bobcat. It is not always easy (or cheap) to do what is right, I am glad that Cornell helped us help this cat. He is a young cat that is definately worth saving. They gave him some meds to take the edge off, it was a pleasant ride home without the growls from his crate on the back seat of my truck.
When we got home, it was busy at our facility even without me. My wife had taken in another skunk which is the same age as the one we have been working on. After a stinky little introduction, the skunks got moved out of the nursery and were left to get acquainted. My wife and kids had rescued 4 kittens that had been left along the road. I am not thrilled about having 4 more cats, anyone that hasnt made a donation lately to NY Wildlife Rescue Center must come and get one....:) They cant stay here, we are at our (domestic) cat limit. Please ask around, they are cute and very much in need of a home.
I tried to rescue a snapping turtle in the road on the way to Cornell but I was too late. Ive been getting a lot of calls lately, a lot are not in need of rescue and we have been able to keep some of them in the wild where they belong. We have had several other animals come in but those stories will have to wait till another day, I am really tired and all of the naps from the last 2 months of being up all night with orphans are starting to catch up with me. Till tomorrow. Only a couple of more days of school and then it is summer...:) WES