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From: dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Why do people WAIT before summoning help?????
Message-ID: <24884@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 3 Oct 90 22:45:15 GMT
Sender: news@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU
Distribution: na
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 43

FAH!!!!

I received a call from the Center at 5:00 PM:  a fellow had called in a
redtailed hawk in a town that is just over two hours away.  It's bad enough
that I have to go that far for an emergency -- but is it really an 
emergency?

"It's been walking around here for a few days, and eating things off of
the ground."

YOU BLITHERING IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!  A few DAYS??????   IF YOUR MOTHER WAS
LYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD IN THE BACKYARD, WOULD YOU WAIT A FEW DAYS
BEFORE CALLING AN AMBULANCE???????  I CAN'T DO MY JOB IF I ARRIVE TO FIND
A BIRD THAT'S ALREADY 95% GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Forgive me.  I'm terribly frustrated, as you can perhaps tell.  I wasn't
able to say these things to the gentleman's face, so please let me say
them here.

And please.....if you have a wounded bird, RUN, don't walk, to the 
nearest telephone and call for professional help:  a local wildlife
center, an Audubon chapter, the state Fish and Game department, a local
vet *ONLY* as a last resort...any of these will be able to help, or
at least steer you to someone who can.  I would be INFINITELY happier
responding to a call two hours away to find nothing wrong than I would
be responding to a call next door in which the bird had been languishing
for two weeks on two broken legs and is now beyond care.  I won't mind.
I promise.

My car says "Wildlife Rescue" on the side.  I'm beginning to consider
changing that to "Wildlife Mop-up".  Please, please...if in doubt,
CALL ANYWAY!


(this holds for people too, incidentally.  Minutes are crucial in an
emergency, and a false alarm is better than a DOA).


-- 
Sam Conway                             * What shape do you usually have?
dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu           * Mickey Mouse shape?  Smarties
Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH * shape?  Amphibious landing craft
Vermont Raptor Center (VINS)           * shape?  Poke in the eye shape?