🐇 - Wildlife transport #267
Thank you #vOCCRAnteer Bree for responding today to SW Portland. A member of our community had found an injured brush rabbit this morning, the rabbit was still alive but struggling and appears to have been attacked by an unknown predator. The Good Samaritan did not have means of transport but kindly placed the animal in a quiet dark box with bedding and caller @birdallianceoforegon for help.
The wildlife solutions counselors dispatched OCCRA to the scene and the patient is now at the @wildlifecarecenter . We wish them luck and are thankful for all parties involved.
@breemckeon #wildliferescue #wildlifetransport #wildlifevolunteer #voccranteers #occra #oregonwildlife #brushrabbit
I’ve never been called graceful or “soft” and sometimes that’s evident when using power tools. Alas, ALMOST all of your donations survive the drill process. Thank you as always for keeping us going!
Before you go, consider becoming a monthly donor for an organization that aligns with your values and heart. The mass exodus on social media platforms is making a massive impact on grass roots orgs that survive off individual donors and social media outreach for help, recruiting, adoptions, education and awareness.
You can find us on bluesky as well, but we will keep posting on all platforms for the time being.
Bless you, hang in there.
-Virginia
Wildlife C/T #263
This Coopers Hawk (COHA) was inside a building and suffered multiple window strikes attempting to exit. In doing so they injured their wing and possibly head trauma as well. The Good Samaritans brought the patient outside where it then flew in to a tree.
They monitored the bird for several hours and it did not attempt to fly off and had a noticeable wing droop. The good Sams had to leave the scene and called @birdallianceoforegon for help. Their wildlife solutions counselors dispatched OCCRA to assist, when #vOCCRAnteers Kaila and Virg arrived, the patient was found on the ground, sternal and in bad shape.
Kaila transported them to @dovelewispdx for overnight care and if they are viable for rehab will go to the tram@at @wildlifecarecenter for further rehab.
Thank you so much to all parties involved and we wish the beautiful raptor good luck.
#occra #wildliferescue #wildlifetransport #wildlifevolunteer #coopershawk #oregonwildlife
Team callout with @ohs_tar_ this week. Sweet indoor cat was kicked out of an evicted residence at some point and was scared under a wheelchair ramp by a dog. He thought he was trapped and stayed there over 24 hours crying for help. We responded while on duty with the county, and asked OHSTAR to assist with the confined space rescue.
Squiggles did not have a chip, and after a 3 day hold at the shelter, was immediately adopted (not surprising, he's a dreamboat). We are happy he gets a 2nd chance and did not become a victim of a predator or traffic in the busy area. Thank you to all parties involved for getting him to safety! Oregon Humane Society Technical Animal Rescue TeamMultnomah County Animal Services
Wildlife C/T - #262
Thank you @frankebat for responding to help this injured corvid. A Good Samaritan had spotted it but they did not have any means of transportation. Frank, whom is an OCCRA and @birdallianceoforegon volunteer, made a special trip on on his way to his volunteer shift at the @wildlifecarecenter . 🙏 good luck beautiful corvid.
Thank you also to #vOCCRAnteers @tipsymonger and @susan.irene for responding today and yesterday as well. It takes a village and we are so thankful for our dedicated team.
❤️🩹- #260 - RTHA - SE PDX
⛑️ - Partner callout with Oregon Humane Society Technical Animal Rescue Team OCCRA and @birdallianceoforegon often get the tech rescue team involved for tricky calls like this. We share 6 volunteers across teams as well, so sometimes it’s a matter of just grabbing 2 uniforms and seeing how the call plays out!
🌲- Abe and I (Virg) are both volunteers with OHSTAR and OCCRA and got very lucky on this call. Although we both are tree climbers and fully geared to do so, we knew it would be a futile climb because this raptor could still hop around and take short flights from tree to tree so we thought we’d try the pole net.
👸 - She decided she would take the free elevator ride down perched on the net instead of inside of it, and floated down like Glinda, ready for her trip to DoveLewis . We wish this beautiful raptor luck, they were actively bleeding with an obvious wing injury (unknown cause), but if they are viable for rehab they will move to the Bird Alliance of Oregon today for further rehab.
🔦🚨**note: you’ll see I am using direct light and calling to the patient from ground in the video. This is to try and distract them from Abe and the pole net to try and not scare them. We are usually quiet and use light only when a safety matter, but we will use distraction as a tool when needed and when we have enough boots on ground!
#occra #wildliferescue #wildlifevolunteer #wildlifetransport #voccranteers #oregonwildlife #redtailedhawk #raptorrescue
We were lucky on this call tonight, I’ve never seen anything like this capture, you’re gonna want to see it when we post!
Tough day of calls. 5 OCCRA volunteers responded today for animals in need. Two unfortunately passed away before we arrived. This is not uncommon, by the time wild animals let humans get near them, they are in bad shape. But we always try…. For them and for all of you. Thank you Zoe, Theo, Bree, Abe and Virg for your efforts today!
#occra #wildliferescue #wildlifevolunteer #voccranteers #wildlifetransport #redtailedhawk
OCCRA WILDLIFE #257 (1st call of 2025)
Thank you vOCCRAnteers @lexiangela
@jferry326 for responding! And thank you @dovelewispdx for the intaking the injured raptor.
TRAPPED COOPER'S HAWK : WORLD TRADE CENTER BUILDING - PORTLAND
Birds often fly into buildings while looking for food, and they can become trapped easily. They may fly upwards to escape, but the ceiling and bright lights can make it difficult. Without food, water, or a way out, a trapped bird will usually die within a few days.
FIRST OFF, DON'T PANIC AND STAY QUIET! Human voices stress out the bird more than you can imagine. Stop screaming xo.
If you have a bird trapped in your building, you can try these steps to help it:
❤️Isolate the bird: Try to confine the bird to one room.
❤️Remove pets and children: Keep children and pets away from the area.
❤️Turn off lights: Turn off all lights in the room to reduce reflections that might confuse the bird.
❤️Open a window or door: Open a window or exterior door to create an escape route.
❤️Wait: Stay calm and leave the room undisturbed for a few hours.
❤️Use a bed sheet: If needed, you can try using a bed sheet to guide the bird. (very difficult unless you have a square empty room).
❤️Call experts: If all else fails, you can call a wildlife control operator. They may respond for a fee, and have some other tricks up their sleeve. But TBH, it is very easy to injure a flighted bird when trying to capture. Imagine you're trying to catch a moving object with a pole/net with solid frame. It's not a great combination, so try ALL others first!
#OCCRA #VOCCRANTEER #COOPERSHAWK #OREGONWILDLIFE #WILDLIFEVOLUNTEER #WILDLIFERESCUE #WILDLIFETRANSPORT
Thank you #vOCCRAnteer @frankebat for responding yesterday to help this beautiful corvid with a safe ride up to the @wildlifecarecenter at @birdallianceoforegon .
Frank is one of 16 OCCRA volunteers that also volunteer with the Bird Alliance. The gap in services for capture and transport when community members do not have means of transportation, or do not feel safe handling wildlife, is vast. And so much of our "training" is second nature to those volunteers that work in the wildlife care center, so it makes sense to join human forces when possible.
We are looking forward to serving the 6 counties and community members in 2025, and we can only do so with your support, sharing, liking, or even better, JOINING OUR TEAM!
**A reminder for those new to following. OCCRA does not receive updates on patient status nor care. We often do not know the cause of injury or illness for our "passengers" either. OCCRA's mission is to provide safe capture and transport to wildlife professionals, we are a small, but important part of wildlife rescue. Thank you for believing in that crucial component!
#oregonwildlife #wildlifevolunteer #wildliferescue #oregoncorvid #crowrescue #oregoncrows #occra
⚠️ - ❤️🩹 - PLEASE CAUTION: VIDEO INVOLVES CAT CPR, and crying of cat that suffered smoke inhalation. Please skip if upsetting.
We find it important to share some of the contract side of what OCCRA does, for Multnomah County animal services. OCCRA is on call 15 hours each night for domestic animal emergencies for the entire county. This is separate from our volunteer wildlife response team.
We regularly are called out by partner agencies and first responders. On Christmas morning, a little after midnight we were called out by Portland Police, they were on scene of a fully involved structure fire which was caused by a vehicle driving in to a home and striking a gas line. Most of the residents were out of town for the holidays, and there were several cats in the four units that suffered impacts from the fire.
Portland Fire crews were incredible in evacuating all cats from the home. As OCCRA contractor Darci arrived, a lifeless cat had been brought out and she immediately started CPR, while PF&R gave oxygen to the surviving cat. We have edited out the most traumatic parts of the video out of respect for the animals and the families.
After CPR attempts were called, Darci transported the surviving cat to Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital. Shortly after, Virginia arrived and a PF&R T13 FF Tamara who found the last remaining cat, alive and alert, a true miracle based on the state of the home. We transported him to Dove Lewis as well, and wish them all strong recovery.
We are grateful for the quick efforts of all those involved, Portland Fire & Rescue , Portland Police Bureau, Portland / Multnomah County 911, DoveLewis and personally, an immense thank you to Darci Love , who answered her phone at midnight, and jumped in to action on her night off, and on Christmas, to help with such a traumatic incident.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the families who suffered such a massive loss over the holiday of their homes, and a tragic loss of a beloved
"Safe Rides for Second Chances"
