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Other cats however can amass quite a haul over the spring
and summer period. Those casualties that are brought into
our surgery are usually poor candidates for treatment and
are usually euthanased to put and end to their traumas.
Very occasionally however an individual can be given the
opportunity to recover if the circumstances allow. Recently,
a young Jackdaw has been given the chance to recover from
a cat bite injury.
A client, Michelle Pitt, who has experience in the rearing
of members of the crow family decided to give the wild bird
a fighting chance. Surprisingly, this type of bird can be
tamed and takes to domestic life quite readily provided
that the support and treatment is available to do so.
There are many documented instances where members of the
crow family have been domesticated and kept as household
pets. They are reported to be among the most intelligent
of birds and some even have the ability to mimic human speech.
On a slightly different note this is also the time of the
year when the RSPCA send out their seasonal appeal to the
public to leave baby animals alone!
Every spring and summer the RSPCA is flooded with calls
from people who pick up young animals, thinking they have
been abandoned or orphaned. Often the parents are waiting
nearby and, in many cases, the youngster would be better
off left alone.Each year, around 20,000 fledglings are passed
to the RSPCA.
Fledglings usually leave the nest about 2 weeks after hatching---just
before they can fly. They will have grown most of their
feathers and be very mobile and can walk, run and hop onto
low branches. Fledglings are fed by their parents who are
rarely far away, encouraging the youngster to stay in cover.
RSPCA senior scientific officer Tim Thomas says: "Baby
animals are best left alone. Only intervene if the youngster
is injured, in danger or truly alone. Wild animals can suffer
greatly by being handled and this should be avoided at all
costs."
Visit the RSPCA
website for more information.
Terry
Dunne BVMS, Cert SAO, MRCVS
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