Happy New Year

Since my last blog, a lot has happened, seems like I havnt blogged since last year. I am blogging with a little Daschund Puppy sleeping on my lap, long story but she is here and needed a home... I found the Pitbull pup a home and they love her and it appears to be working out. After school on Dec 23rd, I took all of the supplies that my students brought in over to the Animal Shelter of the Schoharie Valley. Volunteers/staff helped me carry the stuff in, the kids actually got a TYN this year, Im glad that they appear to be getting their PR in order. Our County needs them and we all need to work together. I got an email today for 25 horses that need a home, 17 llamas that need a home, another 2 older horses looking for a home. Locally, people are calling me all the time to beg for help, ask me to take their animals or report people that are neglecting their animals. I wish I could help everyone and every animal but our county doesnt have an animal control officer and it seems that many law enforcement agencies are slow to get involved with animal abuse cases. They are tough to document and prosecute but shouldnt be avoided. The weather is bad, if you cant afford to feed your livestock, give them to someone that will. Cheaper in the long run than getting an attorney to try to stay out of jail. Sad yet true.....I so wish that I could do more legally. Financially this time of year is always tough for everyone. We are a not for profit looking for donations like every other animal rescue group. I never take on more animals than I know we can care for on our budget. I know that I can afford to feed the livestock that is here for the winter, I make sure the hay money is set aside before the snow flies. Just before xmas, someone nominated me as a Times Journal Star. This is an honor that our local paper does every year. It is to recognize people that have made a difference in our County for the previous year. To the people that nominated me, thank you. I am flattered and honored by the local recognition.
Xmas was everything that I thought it would be. Our kids and pets are lucky. The time with family was nice, something that we should do more often. New Years Eve was spent at home with friends and family, 2009 has disappeared and I have high hopes for 2010. Reflections on 2009 are very positive for Northeast Llama Rescue, New York Wildlife Rescue at Red Maple Farm. Every year we have all to do to keep up with the growth and need for what we are doing. We are one of the only animal rescue facilities that do what we do. Im not talking about numbers of animals helped, we helped well over 500 animals this year find new homes or get back into the wild. A feat that I am very proud of considering our limited budget. Every donation that we get goes directly into expanding our facilities to help more animals. We are basically in a state of nonstop construction to keep expanding our facilities to handle the increased numbers of animals coming in every year. 2009 was a great year. We built (and dedicated at our Open House in July) a 100 foot of Raptor Facility that is second to few. There are 8 different aviaries to handle just about all of the species in the Northeast that come in with injuries that need to be treated. There is a wide assortment of hawks, owls and falcons using this space already. It is available to any licensed rehabber. 2009 was also the year that Oscar the bobcat found his way to me. Oscar came to me because others knew I was his only hope. I may have brokered the deal but Cornell Universities Wildlife Center kept him alive, with some help from God. We built a beautiful shed and a new enclosure for Oscar to heal in. We were overwhelmed with Raccoons this year, there are very few places left that are licensed or even want to deal with them. We built a new shed just for doing them that can be sanitized and locked. I am thinking that it should hold around 50 coons as youngsters, around 20 skunks....I am really not the type of guy that likes to think about the past. I like to think about the future, 2010 will be a great year. I am determined to get the flight built off the Raptor Aviaries so we can actually fly the Raptors to get them ready for release back into the wild. This will happen with your support. Once that is done, we need to do something different with our deer soft release area. I would like to get it fenced in with 8 foot deer fencing but we will worry about that design when we get there. Im sure there will always be a project here, all I need is time and money. Till next time.....