WIRES Native animal rescue

WIRES Native animal rescue

WIRES (Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service) have provided me with the privilege to work with native Australian Wildlife. It has been one of the joys of my vet career to do my bit for these animals and this great organisation.

My association with WIRES has seen me meet great people, fascinating animals and have a chance to witness first-hand the WIRES process of rescue, rehabilitation and release back into their natural habitat. Being able to work with as many different animals as possible, getting to know the specific needs of Native fauna (and there are differences from these animals from our family pets) has given me so much, as a vet and animal lover.

I encourage you to read more about WIRES and its’ history because I think it is a great cause to learn about. The statistics and other info about WIRES’ activity are really amazing. 

Dubbo has a WIRES presence extending to Parkes, Nyngan and even to Lightning Ridge and the Queensland Border. Dubbo Chairperson of WIRES, Helen Taylor, has been with the group since 1992 and works tirelessly rescuing and rehabilitating injured or orphaned animals back to their natural habitat. She has a special interest in Raptors (wedge-tail eagles and other magnificent bird of prey) and has rescued animals already captured by the public but has sometimes tackled challenges like containing a kangaroo loose in town streets, a python held up in an aviary or a possum in roof spaces.

WIRES has fulltime carers, who take on animals needing care 24/7 like orphaned babies and alike. There are part-time carers too, who attend to mature animals requiring less attention. Volunteers answer emergency call out lines and coordinate qualified rescue operations depending on the animals’ situation kick starting the process of recovery. 


The mesmerising eye of the wedgetail eagle

Dubbo branch has monthly meetings usually held on the first Thursday of the month at about 6.30pm. The venue varies so a call for further info on meetings is a must. Anyone aged 18 and over can join WIRES. Volunteers must attend a weekend RESCUE AND IMMEDIATE CARE COURSE in order to become authorised and insured to deal with Australian fauna. At time of publication, the next course will be held the weekend of the 8th and 9th of August, 2009 in Dubbo. Call 1300 556 686 for the all important details.

Helen says volunteering for WIRES is so rewarding and an opportunity to experience some wonderful, memorable moments.
“One release we will never forget concerned a female wedgetail and her male offspring (“Mother and Son”) who were trapped under a cattle grid and spent a couple of weeks with us recuperating from bruises. When we took these birds back and let them go, they spent a few minutes getting their bearings and calling to each other. It wasn’t long before another three eagles turned up – presumably the rest of the family welcoming them home.

“We could not do much of this rehabilitation without veterinary support, especially where birds are concerned. Duncan has been very good to WIRES over the years and just as pleased as we are when his patients make it through to release. He and his staff are always willing to receive native animals on our behalf and to check them out for injuries. One of our star performers was a brown goshawk with a broken wing; she had been shot. The bones were set and the bird spent three weeks in bandages. When we took her back to Duncan’s to have her wing unstrapped, she proved her fitness by going on an aerial tour of the surgery!”
“At the moment Robbie and I have nine joeys in care, and it will be at least another six or eight months before they can be released,” explains Helen. 


Wing Repair for a Goshawk


Literally THOUSANDS of animals have been successfully rescued and nursed back to health. I’m sure there are many descendants of former patients of WIRES currently flying, bounding, swinging, crawling, climbing, walking, swooping and squawking in their natural habitat because of what WIRES does.

We look forward to continuing to do our bit here at the clinic to keep these beautiful animals at their healthy best – we’d love to be Dubbo’s native furry’s’ favourite Vets! Keep an eye out for WIRES fundraising activities (from cake stalls to raffle tickets and more) and if you can help in any way by volunteering or donating what you can – you will be doing a great thing!! Go to www.wires.org.au.


The Snuggled Puggle (aka baby echidna)

Big thanks to Helen Taylor for her contribution of pics and comments for this article.