Creations of Joy Photography

01/25/2023

I am glad to let my friends know that I have FINALLY got an appointment with two Oncologists at Vanderbilt. Please pray for me on January 31 as I go for my first appointment.

My cancer is a rare one called cholangiocarcinoma or cca.

I'm praising God that he provided this appointment. I called and made it myself. God can move mountains. Well, he can move medical beaurocracy too!

01/25/2023

01/25/2023

01/25/2023

This BOTTLE RETRIEVING MACHINE in Turkey has a special function, after every bottle thrown in, the machine returns 20g of pet food for cats and dogs.

01/25/2023

Fun fact. Wolf spiders will hunt and eat brown recluse spiders (also known as fiddlebacks), in addition to venomous black widow spiders, cockroaches, crickets, beetles and silverfish.

Please don't squish them.

01/25/2023

01/25/2023

They denied it. They said they hadn't seen any proof of it. I couldn't believe it. I watched multiple pesticide companies and leaders of boards stand up and say they had no proof that their rat poison has negatively effected wildlife. I was squirming in my chair. You aren't allowed to interupt. Everyone gets to speak and say their piece.

Every animal I had witnessed die from rat poison came flooding through my mind...

All the suffering from foxes, raccoons, owls, hawks, opossums, chipmunks and squirrels I had witnessed made my heart race.

I can still see all their faces. All the orphans whose parents died from this poison needed to be spoken for. Being too emotional wouldn't help. They needed reasoning and logic. They didn't need to see me up there being a basket case.

When it was my turn, I took a deep breath...and I gave my testimony. I spoke the truth about all I had seen. I spoke of postitive laboratory tests and blood that wouldn't clot.

I kept tears inside, but I don't think there was a person in there that couldn't feel the emotion behind my words. I made them aware that people don't call pesticide companies when they see a wild animal suffering...

They call wildlife rehabilitators.

We are the ones who can tell you what is happening to your local wildlife. Ask us.

When one of the pest control people was asked for a testimony on how birds of prey are generally doing, he said he felt like their numbers were increasing. Like they are making a come back.

Birds of prey are in decline globally....

My fellow wildlife rehabilitators - this is a call to action. I know you are not paid to do what you do and likely these pesticide companies are being paid for every meeting they sit through, but you are the witnesses and we have to be their voice.

New Hampshire rehabbers - your testimony is essential right now with things that are happening in your state.

This picture was taken by Cape Ann Wildlife, Inc. This owl's parents both died from rat poison and she almost died from it too. We all need to speak for her and all of those innocent animals that are sufferring the effects of secondary rodenticide.

01/25/2023

Raccoons, opossums, and coyotes are often senselessly killed because they have inconvenienced someone by climbing into a trash can in search of food or shelter. If you happen to have a wild animal (or several of them) who have mistaken your trash for a buffet or den, please don’t kill them. There are plenty of very easy, affordable ways to latch your trash can lids.

01/25/2023

We have some reassuring news about Matilda! With the help of our veterinarian, we determined that we don’t need to resort to euthanasia yet. Raccoons are designed to bear most of their weight on their hind legs, and although they need their hands for survival in the wild, they can sometimes still walk, run, play, and use the bathroom normally without use of their front legs. Matilda is showing a lot of promise by running around her pen looking like a little T. rex and even trying to play with toys, which tells us she feels comfortable with her two-legged locomotion. She is taking two pain medications to ease the discomfort of her little nubs. Because she’s a youngster and has been fed by humans for most of her life, she is not as fearful of humans as a fully wild adult might be. We’re cautiously optimistic for Matilda’s future and hope she may be able to live out her days helping people learn about the horrors of leghold traps. Who knows? Maybe her story will make a difference and can lead to a ban on these terrible contraptions.

01/25/2023

Update: Maverick found his forever home today. And he has some new friends his size 💞🐾🐕🐾💞

We wanted to post one more time and give the owner the opportunity to reclaim him. This Great Pyranees was found in a ditch near Claxton Fire Department last week and was brought to the clinic. Yes, it's the same dog that everyone was posting about and brought in by Larry Eaton.

If this is your dog, please call the Spay and Neuter Clinic at 423-649-0370. He will be available for adoption this week if not reclaimed. He was not injured and is otherwise healthy. Even if you do not want him back, please call. The more information we have about the dog, the better our chances of adopting him out. Great Pyranees can be very difficult for us to adopt out, so the more info the better. Rescues will also be contacted, but many are full at this time.

01/25/2023

HOW TO KEEP WILDLIFE OUT OF YOUR CAT FOOD
If you're in an area where wildlife is common, you'll need to adjust your feeding habits to avoid attracting other animals to the colony site. Most wildlife is nocturnal, so feed during daylight hours and don't leave any food out overnight. Keep in mind also that cats are very habitual creatures and will quickly learn to show up at the same time every day and eat within a small period, like half an hour. Use this to your advantage if wildlife is an issue during the daytime by training the cats to come at a certain time and removing all food when they're done.

HOW TO BE A TIDY CARETAKER
One of the most frequently heard complaints about feral cats is the mess created when people feed without regard to the environment or the sensitivities of local residents or businesses. Leaving behind loose plates, empty cans, paper towels and plastic spoons, or dumping large amounts of cat food on the ground and leaving the excess, are all going to create hostility towards the cats and their feeders. On the other hand, considerate caretakers who leave the colony site clean, including picking up other people's trash, will engender good relations and be more welcome. For the cats' sake, be sure to clean up!

Text from neighborhood cats.org