Are you kidding?

A distressed call came in from a member of the public about a baby goat on a local break wall and he was crying. She had rung the RSPCA and was told to ring Australian Seabird Rescue as the RSPCA does not have a boat.

This was approx 11am and being an area I patrol every morning this poor little kid was not there at 6am and can be confirmed by the local pro fisherman.

Some monster has dumped this poor little creature on the break wall with no food or means of escape surrounded by water.

A quick phone call to ASR team member Julie and my good friend local vet Joanne from Kembla Grange Vet Clinic we were all there within 15 mins.

RSPCA decided to attend and I assume contacted the fire brigade and police for help. This was quickly turning into a “circus” but ASR Julie and vet Joanne took control of the situation simply paddling the ASR kayak over and rescued the kid.

Returning to shore vet Jo checked him thoroughly before handing him over to RSPCA, who had no idea on how to capture him. But to know there are people out there capable of this type of cruelty is very distressing! Sadly this is not the first time animals have been dumped on this same break wall. Over the years we have had 2 sets of domestic ducks and 2 dogs all on different occasions and now this!

Baby goat safely back on dry land having been rescued from stranding on the breakwater.

Baby goat goes for a ride in the ASR kayak!

We have to stop people buying “that cute little thing” and then tiring of them. But why condemn them to terror and uncertainty when they can take them to the local pound and surrender them.

Have we really become such uncaring monsters?

Thank you again Julie and Joanne this little cutie now has a chance at a happy life.

Betty

Labour Day Long Weekend

Well - that was a weekend that was  - apart from out of season scorching heat - we had 3 interesting rescues.

It all started at 5pm on Friday with a call from new team members Narelle and her daughter who had decided to go on a patrol and spotted a little female pelican with a large lump on her neck. They contacted me (Betty) immediately and I went straight over. On catching her it appeared to be an abscess or a tumour so off to the vet. Many thanks here to Deiderik of Kembla Grange Veterinary practice who saw us straight away despite clients waiting. He couldn't syringe it as it was too solid so next morning back we went before the surgery opened and he cut it out.

She is now in care for 10 days so next time someone says "oh don't worry the hook will rust" here's proof that they don't and do work their way into the body. Untreated she would've died from infection or starvation so well done girls you saved her life as did the vet.

Saturday a pelican was reported with a broken wing but despite Narelle and I searching for over an hour we could not find it. The area is a large inlet fed by the sea that tapers into a mostly inaccessible creek. It was thought she must've drifted out to sea or gone right up then creek to hide as there were lots of people splashing around. Unfortunately it was a delayed call from another rescue group making it even harder to locate the bird.

Sunday morning a call came in about a swan not wanting to move. On picking her up I noticed blood in her mouth. The fellow said he heard a bang on the roof Saturday night but didn't think much of it then found her on Sunday morning. So back home, rehydrated and mouth washed she settled down. Worried about concussion or internals I kept her overnight for observation and happily released her Monday morning clear of injuries.

Sunday 8pm a fellow spotted a pelican in a drain with a broken wing. So that's where she went!! A long way from where she was reported on Saturday. So on the phone to co-ordinator Kirsten off we went with torches, rope, fish and fingers crossed. There she was 6 ft down in the drain so over the fence and down we went after letting the police know what we were doing. 9pm now and she panicked seeing these 2 mad women coming over the fence with torches. We were unable to catch her as it was very slippery. She then ran under a bridge. So back over the fence and across the road. We found her in a totally inaccessible place surrounded by reeds and who knows what else was down that steep bank. Unable to scare her back under the bridge we had to admit defeat and headed home at 10pm to return next morning and hopefully find her again.

Monday 7am Team member Oliver and I headed back to find her with Kirsten on standby. She was in the same spot so with Oliver hiding under the bridge I tried to scare her to go to him. She refused to budge and while we were figuring out how to get her she got sick of us looking at her and went under the bridge on her own. After a mighty effort from Oliver scaling the fence for the fourth time, and a chase, she was in his arms. Sadly though to be taken to the vet. But she would've died a horrible death in that drain - she was already under weight and had lice on her.

With 2 out of 3 success stories - it sure was a weekend that was.

Thank you Kirsten, Oliver and Narelle. Also vet Deiderik for fixing up the little girl I still have in care and Greencross Vets for being open on a public holiday.

Betty