Saturday 27 June 2009

The Squeaky Pocket

The RSPCA ACO (animal collection officer) brought in a little stray puppy with parvo the other night. While he was holding it to be put down the ACO’s pocket was squeaking.

It wasn’t a rabid hamster as l was wondering. No don’t know why l decided rabid hamster just one of those vague thoughts l am prone to. What the squeak belonged to was probably a baby weasel, probably, because at that age several species look alike.

A family had found him the day before, popped him in a box and covered the box. It took them 24 hours to ring RSPCA but luckily the little mite was still alive. I do despair of where people brains leak to at times, still at least they got help for it…in time!

I grabbed some cimicat milk as an emergency feed for him. After a drink from the front end and a pee from the back he was popped back into the ACO’s pocket to have a sleep. His new life to grow up and rehab back to the wild would start the next day at Stapeley Grange the RSPCA NW wildlife section.





9 comments:

crowlord said...

So sweet. I bet he will be a right terror when he gets older!

JuliaM said...

Cute! But a bit big for a weasel, surely?

Vetnurse said...

Not sure like l say we just taking wild swings, take you pick of species and at the end of the day may not even be any one of a number.
Hoping he isn't a mink though cause if it is he will be put down. And he has had a tough start that he fought through. His teeth were just coming through and his eyes just slitting.

Pickyknitter said...

I'm from the States and don't know - why would a mink be put down but not a weasel?

JuliaM said...

It's not an indigenous animal, and therefore can't be released back.

And presumably, a sanctuary wouldn't take it for the same reason, I guess?

cambstreasurer said...

Ferret maybe??? They're about the right size and it would explain why he's such a pale colour.

Vetnurse said...

Pickyknitter Julia is right. In fact there is a £6000 fine for releasing one l understand this also applies to Canada geese and grey squirrels.

Most sanctuary's have sudden escapes if for any reason they have grey squirrels or canada geese in. You know the sort the door of the out door cage was not locked, they fell carrying the animal etc.

Mink are very destructive though and people do not want to risk them escaping even for real.

JuliaM said...

"Most sanctuary's have sudden escapes if for any reason they have grey squirrels or canada geese in. You know the sort the door of the out door cage was not locked, they fell carrying the animal etc."

Lol!

Actually, they are both edible. So I can see a possible compromise... ;)

Not eating a mink, though! That's a step too far...

Vetnurse said...

I agree about the eating Julia but lets face it it is a bit risky asking the sanctuary that has just fixed the animals to eat them :-)