My expertise on the Wildlife Heart of Virginia has lived as much as my full expectations! As a first-year veterinary scholar, I needed to get hands-on expertise with the world of wildlife, a division of animal care that I had restricted studying experiences in up so far. I used to be absolutely dedicated to the lengthy hours and tough instances upon receiving my letter of acceptance then I flew for the primary time to Virginia to start out my new journey.
The majority of my time on the Heart has been caring for 12 lovely fawns. Every fawn that enters the Heart requires a strict protocol to assist them transition into short-term captivity and provides them a greater likelihood at survival. After the veterinary employees provides every fawn a clear invoice of well being, the fawns are handed over to the rehabilitation staff. With the ability to be part of the consumption course of and the rehabilitation of those fawns has been extremely rewarding. I realized about their husbandry, weight loss plan, indicators of stress, dealing with, and the PPE protocols which might be required for each fawn to thrive below our care and be returned to the wild. Seeing every fawn transferring into its short-term out of doors enclosure was like watching my infants graduate from preschool and go into kindergarten. I used to be extraordinarily happy with everybody who contributed to their care and most of all of the fawns themselves, who persevered within the face of their difficulties. Each fawn will maintain a particular place in my coronary heart eternally.
 
I didn’t solely work with fawns although. I labored with all kinds of Virginia wildlife. I had the prospect to achieve expertise with turtles, snakes, birds of prey, small mammals, songbirds, and a lot extra. On the Heart, you by no means know what’s going to come within the door. It might be a mink that was wandering the streets or a skink that was caught by a cat. That is without doubt one of the issues that I totally get pleasure from concerning the Heart! I really like not understanding who’s going to return via the door.
With all these several types of animals I labored with, we additionally want methods to restrain them for remedy. One of many issues I needed to be taught was the right way to safely maintain animals for remedy in a manner that retains myself and the animal comfy, secure, and stress-free, and I realized simply that. I used to be correctly instructed on capturing and restraining a myriad of species equivalent to White-tailed Deer, groundhogs, Crimson-tailed Hawks, opossums, songbirds, and extra.
All the abilities I developed throughout my externship on the Wildlife Heart of Virginia couldn’t be potential with out the educated, affected person, and caring employees. With the ability to work for a wildlife hospital that not solely cares about wildlife however about educating others on the right way to take care of wildlife has been a dream come true. I cherished being comfy asking as many questions as I needed and understanding that they’d all be welcomed with open arms and answered with expertise behind each assertion. I treasured being part of this household, even when it was for a second in time. I can’t wait to reapply for considered one of my veterinary rotations within the upcoming years!
— Rhiannon Ballard-Davis
Wildlife Rehabilitation Extern
