On May 14th Doris showed up in our yard.
She had fishing line wrapped around her leg multiple times and it was embedded into the tissue.
I held her while my husband cut it all out.
Her leg was swollen, infected and I’m sure pretty painful.
I gave her food and water and observed her.
She wasn’t doing well and she had very little energy.
As it got later I realized that I couldn’t leave her outside, unprotected in her condition so I created an area for her on my porch.
The next day I went and got straw and some healthier food for her.
I also have a wonderful wildlife vet that I work with who called in some antibiotics for her.
She enjoyed having a safe and quiet space to rest and heal but she belongs in nature.
When it got close to time to release her, I let her decide when she wanted to leave.
I left the door open while I cleaned her bedding and she peeked out the door and casually made her way down to the water.
She spent about 20 minutes oiling up her feathers and then was ready for her departure.
She swam around for a bit and before she left for good she came back to me and looked at me for a minute or two.
We looked at each other. Acknowledging our time together.
Maybe it was a goodbye or a thank you, I'm not sure but my heart felt it.
She had fishing line wrapped around her leg multiple times and it was embedded into the tissue.
I held her while my husband cut it all out.
Her leg was swollen, infected and I’m sure pretty painful.
I gave her food and water and observed her.
She wasn’t doing well and she had very little energy.
As it got later I realized that I couldn’t leave her outside, unprotected in her condition so I created an area for her on my porch.
The next day I went and got straw and some healthier food for her.
I also have a wonderful wildlife vet that I work with who called in some antibiotics for her.
She enjoyed having a safe and quiet space to rest and heal but she belongs in nature.
When it got close to time to release her, I let her decide when she wanted to leave.
I left the door open while I cleaned her bedding and she peeked out the door and casually made her way down to the water.
She spent about 20 minutes oiling up her feathers and then was ready for her departure.
She swam around for a bit and before she left for good she came back to me and looked at me for a minute or two.
We looked at each other. Acknowledging our time together.
Maybe it was a goodbye or a thank you, I'm not sure but my heart felt it.