I have been busy doing my job- taking care of animals. Feeding, cleaning, moving around, weighing, releasing, playing with, and everything else. Updating the database daily (but not the blog). Logging weights and making changes to formulas and diet. It's been overwheming. I think I have 70 animals but I haven't run today's report.
My little soapbox: I believe in staying what I call “inspection ready”. This is a bit laughable as we receive one perfunctory inspection on occasion after our initial “yes it’s a sad and semi-inappropriate place but it will work” permit inspection.
When I go to bed, the rehab room is ready for me to wake up and get to work. The trash is already out, the floors are mopped and the surfaces sanitized. The exam table is clear in case I get a trauma case. The medicine cabinet is locked and everyone is accounted for. The foods and supplements stay labeled and accessible and there is always enough caging that I don’t have to put more than 5 in a double decker Critter Nation.
My outside enclosures are clean, have fresh enrichment and wheels, and plenty of food and fun. The cages are locked and the multitude of cameras are on. All heads and tail are counted.
I do this, and encourage my mentees to do this, because it just feels better. It feels like you are ready for anything and anyone. My personal dishes may not be washed and I may not have taken a shower for a while, but an inspector could come in and I would be proud.
This is a core value of mine. It is not necessary or required. But I take pride in what I do and how I do it.
Getting off soapbox. Now for some photos.
I see things that remind me of Littler and Biggler everywhere. They solved all these food puzzles in no time at all. They loved bagged chopped salads. I have a freezer full of veggies for them, including their favorite, Brussels sprouts. I have their harnesses and leashes hanging on my door. I can’t believe I will never see them again. We still don’t understand what made them so sick.
I have stayed so busy between the animals I have, the ones I have to turn away, and the ones that arrive too sick or injured to live. I feed, and clean, and try to post on Facebook and Instagram. I try to give love and attention to my own animals and the humans, too. I am so grateful for my wonderful friends and volunteers especially Sydney who was really there for me after the boys died. Everyone has been so kind, and so generous. My donors are the very best people, and my volunteers, friends and family are what keep me going when there seems to be more animals than Suzie. I am grateful for you all.
I will try to do better with this blog! Thank you for reading!
