WILD BIRD RESCUE

Drs Jacobs and van der Zee with one of their wild patients

As readers will have noticed in previous Wild Bird Rescue columns, we frequently and repeatedly suggest that readers, who have rescued wild birds, refer to their local vet for advice. Good, prompt medical advice is often the deciding factor as to whether or not a bird will die! For this reason we decided to do a column on those wonderful people, our vets.

There are basically two kinds of vets in the world. The first and fortunately the rare kind has only one interest: his pocket. He does not care about nature, or about animals. His only interest is in making money. That type of vet will actually charge you to assist a wild bird or even turn you away as a potentially unprofitable client!

Avoid this kind of person like the plague, he does not deserve your paying business either!

The second, and fortunately most frequently-encountered kind of vet is a wonderful, blessed and caring person. He realizes that we all owe it to nature to give something back, each one according to his talents. Even if he is not a specialist bird vet, as a responsible professional he would have set up a consulting network of other specialists . If he lacks the knowledge or expertise to assist your ‘charity’ patient, he will call his consulting avian vet and take advice. And he will do it with love and care. He will also be able to refer you to a rehabilitation centre to get proper assistance. Fortunately, these true professionals are not rare, and you will find it advantageous to build a lasting relationship with your local vet.

Wings in Need particularly wishes to thank all the vets who regularly assist them, and in particular Drs Jaco Jacobs and Hans van der Zee, who regularly and without complaint assist us and our birds. Wings in Need help wild birds. More than 4000 birds a year! No bird is ever turned away, and we could not manage without the help of these and other selfless vets.

By Gordon M Duncan & Wings in Need

Animal Talk December 1999 / January 2000

Avian vets at work