Pia
Before I actually decided to form an organization for squirrel rescue and rehabilitation we took in a few squirrels that needed help. Pia was one of those squirrels. My son's teacher found her in his yard near death. We went to get her and immediately took her to the vet. She had been hit by a car and was paralyzed. She had an injury to left hind leg that had an open wound. She had such a fiesty personality we decided to see if she would make it.
By the next day the open wound on her leg had maggots spilling out of it. We began to get as many out as we could with tweezers. She was very good about letting me hold her while I pulled the maggots from her wound. After the maggots were all removed we tried to save her leg by wrapping it with special medications to help the wound heal. For about two months she and I made two trips a week to the vet to have the bandages changed. She took everything in stride.
After about two months She decided that her leg would not heal and started to chew it near her body. At this point we decided to have her leg amputated so that she could live. She took the surgery well and within a month she was acting as if nothing every happened to her. She was now a paralyzed three legged squirrel, that didn't seem to know anything was wrong with her. Her fiesty personality shown through daily and she loved her life. We would take her in on the bed and open her cage. She would charge out, climb up to the top and look out the window. After a time she would jump down off the bed and go over to the wall where she would climb up the woodwork to get on top of the dresser.
She taught us so much about accepting your life and whatever is thrown your way. She lived with us for a little over three and a half years. We never knew how old she was when she came to us as she was an adult at that time. At the end she refused to give up. She would still try to attack anyone that came close and still wanted to eat her favorite foods. Unfortunately the paralysis that took the use of her legs became worse and started to effect her breathing. She also began to get sores over her body since she was no longer able to move around like she did.
She passed peacefully in her sleep just before Christmas 2004. We still miss her and her spitfire personality. We will not forget the lessons she taught us about accepting whatever life brings to you.
Lovely Lita's Sheltering Foundation is a registered not for profit organization for the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned and injured squirrels.
This organization offers all types and ages of squirrels refuge. Any that can be returned to the wild are released at our Plant City location. There they have 10 acres of wooded area to live happily. If you would like to make a donation to help us rehabilitate our patients, your help will be put to good use toward restoring a normal existence to these animals.
Volunteer to care for a few of the baby squirrels. " Donate these food items: Esbilac (puppy formula), pecans, almonds, walnuts, acorns, apples, grapes, Strawberries, pears, corn, green beans, squash. " Donate these supplies: syringes without needles, crates, carriers, paper towels, old t-shirts, heating pads. "
Make a financial donation to:
Lovely Lita's Sheltering Tree foundation
1110 S. Pine Lake Drive
Tampa, Fl 33612
Visit our web site at http://www.squirrellady.com to learn more!
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