Yass Valley Veterinary is committed to the health and well being of all types of animals.
Most people don’t know that the practice is very diverse when it comes to the range of injured wildlife that is brought in. The vets have a broad knowledge when it comes to wildlife and most times are torn between head and heart when making the right decision to the welfare of the animal.
I, as one of the receptionists for the practice are the front-line staff. I have learnt when a member of the public is carrying a cardboard box through the front door. Anything is possible.
Just like Christmas…. you don’t know what to expect inside the box and your anticipation grows while they describe to you in detail where they picked this animal up from and asking you ‘do you think the vet can save this one”? In the back of your mind you are already thinking do I want to open this box? is it going to scratch, flap, squeak or bite!
The exciting part of my job is that every day I get to learn something new. On this particular day a kind gentleman came in carrying a box he said to me “it’s alright I have already called Wires the wildlife rescue team and one of their members are on their way to collect it”…I asked him “what type of animal have you picked up’? As I was reaching across to accept the box, he replied “a baby bat!” Well I know you are supposed to love all creatures great and small. but I do have some hesitation when it comes to bats. The only thing I knew about them was that you are not supposed to touch them! To my amazement there was a bat rescue carer that was willing to pick this little baby up, take it home and place it in an incubator for a couple of months until the weather warmed up. What I learnt that day was that bats cannot move their wings in winter and there are some very kind people who give up their time helping to save our beautiful wildlife even a bat.
The best part of my job is that you go home at the end of the day with a lot of self-satisfaction knowing that you have made a difference to someone else’s day.
