Orphanage helps get critters back on their feet
By DONNA BERTOLI Editor For those who grew up with Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" and those who watch Croc Files today, information about wildlife is plentiful. Our local zoos offer plenty to see; Animal Planet produces television shows on everything from cats and dogs to endangered primates. But as fascinated as people are with wild animals, few pay any mind to the wildlife that's all around us, in our own backyards. That's one message the Stamfordbased Wildlife Orphanage is trying to get out to local residents, who often view the raccoons, skunks, foxes, squirrels and other animals in their yards more as a nuisance than anything else. “You think of Stamford as a city, but there's nature here as well. Hopefully we can remind people about what was here before we came,” said Wildlife Orphanage vice president and licensed rehabilitator Flo Chiappetta. Rapid development, she said, often results in animals being displaced from their homes. The organization rehabilitates many animals either injured or orphaned on construction sites, when trees are cut down to make way for
STAMFORD TIMES/Alex von Kleydorff
Wildlife Orphanage vice president Flo Chiappetta feeds an orphaned baby raccoon.
more development. On a warm day last week, Chiappetta, along with Orphanage president Cathie Kovacs, also a licensed rehabilitator, and volunteers Heather Bernatchez and Morty Bachar, busied themselves adding the finishing touches on the newly expanded rehabilitation area on Gray Farms Road. Currently populated by two 2.5-week-old squirrels who fell 30 feet from a tree, a seven-week old raccoon and several other tiny creatures, the area features newly designed squirrel pens, bunny pens, skunk and raccoon pens as well as feeding stations, built to exact specifications that cater to the animals’ needs. The entire area is fenced in,
creating a safe haven for the orphaned and injured wildlife. Chiappetta is one of four local rehabilitators who are currently working from their homes. “Our main goal is to have a center,” Kovacs said. “We are growing every year, but at a point, we do turn away animals. Housing and hygiene are important to us. The goal is to have the center expand and to expand the species we handle.” With its current facilities at three homes in Springdale, one in north Stamford, and one in Stratford, the Wildlife Orphanage is able to care for a limited number of animals. The center currently does not accept deer. Since overcrowding can be unhealthy for both animals and humans, Kovacs explained, rehabilitators must keep a close eye on the number of animals they take in. The Orphanage also includes foster homes in Wilton, Ridgefield and Greenwich that do “releases,” or the release of rehabilitated animals back into the wild. The Wildlife Orphanage, founded by Kovacs, has been rehabilitating animals since 1999. “There is a great meed for additional trained and licensedrehabilitators,” said Kovacs. She added that a lot of knowledge goes in to caring for and raising these animals. This includes not only the basics of caring for and rehabilitating injured or orphaned animals, but how to prepare young animals to be reintroduced into the wild. Animals such as raccoons and squirrels who come to the orphanage as babies, must actually be taught how to find food, how to crack open nut shells, and so forth. Walking around the new raccoon pens, Kovacs points to the upper panels that shield the animals from
rain, as well as a small wading pool. “Raccoons are very tactile and truly enjoy water” she said. The tire swing, branches, various platforms and nests and other interesting items are there, said Kovacs, “to keep their minds occupied.” If this sounds frivolous, it's not. Young raccoons, or “juvies,” need to learn a number of skills to survive in the wild and the pens are set up to achieve that goal. “I’ve always been an animal lover,” said Kovacs, in her ninth year as a licensed animal rehabilitator. “It's not glamorous, but it’s very rewarding."
ly 28 skunks, 20 raccoons, 31 squirrels, 10 bunnies and one possum. Her day began at 6:30 a.m. with feedings throughout the day, every four hours, continued with daily cage cleaning, and ended at approximately 11 p.m. The Orphanage currently has about 40 active volunteers. But the rehabilitation side is distinct from the business and organizational side. That’s where Morty Bachar, Stamford resident and owner of Lakeside Pottery, steps in. Bachar has been helping the Orphanage with fund-raising and solicitation and accounting.
areas including carpentry, fundraising and grant writing, graphic design and transport, rescue and release. The organization is also in need of donations in the form of food supplies, surgical gloves (used when handling the animals), microscopes, copy paper, toner cartridge and other office supplies. This weekend, the Orphanage will host a two-day tag sale to raise fimds for needed supplies. The sale is on Saturday and Sunday May 15 and 16 at 81 Gray Farms Rd. Proceeds go toward the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned wildlife. To volunteer or donate, to receive a copy of the organization's newsletter, or for more information on the tag sale, call the Wildlife Orphanage at 888-727-ORPHAN.
STAMFORD TIMES/Alex von Kleydorff
From left, volunteer Morty Bachar, Wildlife Orphanage president Cathie Kovacs, vice president Flo Chiappetta and volunteer Heather Bernatchez at the renovated center.
The state Department of Environmental Protection offers a day-long seminar for rehabilitators. Wildlife Orphanage also offers a hands-on training course twice a year for those who wish to further their knowledge and ability For those who think they might want to take on the challenge, be advised: The amount of work that goes in to rehabilitate these animals is a lot. Raccoons must be fed every three to four hours, until they're six months old. Recalling 'the previous year at about this time, when the center receives the most calls and the most animals in need of rehabilitation, Chiappetta said she had approximate-
How did a local business owner end up involved with wildlife rehabilitators? “I took care of a raccoon for about a week,” says Bachar. “And through my vet, got Cathie’s business card.” One year later, Bachar is using his skills as a businessman to help wildlife. “The common theme is we love animals,” Bachar says of the assortment of volunteers at the center. “People don't know what's in their backyards. If we can offer people a little bit of insight, it may make people think a little differently,” Bernatchez adds. “We try to give back a little bit of what we take away every day.” The Wildlife Orphanage is currently in search of additional volunteers in a number of