Hi everyone – wow it’s been a full on week with work so it’s been hard to make progress on all the things I’m itching to get done at the moment. While I would love to devote 100% of my time to all things wildlife (wouldn’t we all?) my work life is important in terms of being able to keep my hound dog Angus in the style to which he has become accustomed. Then there’s Feisty Fergie our Cockatiel, who demands only the best birdie enrichment toys and treats. All that aside, a (significant) percentage of profits from Gaia’s Light and Write from Source will be crucial in providing the best care for the little wild hearts out there.
That said, I have been making little steps forward. As you can see from my previous post I received an incredible ‘starter pack’ of pouches, and bits and pieces from ARC Craft Guild Tasmania. I can honestly say I was overwhelmed and felt the love as I unpacked that very generous box.
“ The Animal Rescue Cooperative Craft Guild (ARCCG) was founded to support the work of the cooperative. We are a global army of innovative creators that work together to make custom supportive products for animals in need. Through this we save lives, improve care, reduce the burden on rescuers, and bring awareness to their global plight.”
I’d like to say thanks you to Kate Bean and Trish Bone, as without the information and advice these ladies provided I wouldn’t have known this invaluable support was available. As I mentioned before, there is no WIRES funding here to support wildlife carers and rescuers here in Tassie so everything comes out of our own pockets. This can make things tricky for people who want to be dedicated to the cause, but simply can’t afford it – especially nowadays when so many people are struggling.
Talking of support, another shout out to another wonderful, dedicated human being, Janelle Olivia of TasWild. She is a full-time wildlife carer at TasWild and she has put together a group on Facebook to provide a support network for wildlife carers and rescuers within Tasmania.
I feel pretty confident in the areas I trained in or had experience with in NSW. WIRES provide training on specific “species” and you only rescue/rehabilitate the species you’ve been trained for. I focussed on birds and reptiles because there was a shortage of Avian carers, and we had a number of snakes and reptiles on our property (I adored them all). So for me, the Tassie wildlife (and processes) are a wee bit different.
For a novice carer, it can be a wee bit daunting because at the end of the day, all you want to do is alleviate suffering, and make a difference to the animals in your care. With this in mind, the group Janelle has set up, has really bridged a gap in the (excellent) but more ‘general’ training over a few species. Janelle has shared information on harvesting browse and a step-by-step ‘caring basics’ PDF – which as a new resident to Tasmania, is SO helpful. I mean, I’m still familiarising myself with the unique Flora and Fauna here. So thank you Janelle. I’m very thankful for this network and contact with such caring and knowledgeable individuals.
Well I think I’ll close there. I’ve blethered on a wee bit longer than anticipated, but I think it’s important to give a shout out to the wonderful people in our lives – people that share – or help us on our respective journeys.
I’m heading back outdoors to finish the cleaning I started yesterday! The drought has provided an opportunity to clean the sludge (poo concentrate…) the Native Hens have left in the now dried out bath in our courtyard. I discovered a singular frog in amongst the sludge so I had to create another habitat to keep it happy while I cleaned out his/her digs.
I’ll be back soon. With love from Gaia’s Little Wild Hearts – to your Little Wild Heart.
#TasWild #ARCcraftguild #gaiaslittlewildhearts