I wrote this article for Issue 47 of the (Dutch) Dierenambulance Nederrijn (Animal Ambulance) magazine. Here’s my original (in English!).
Wildlife Care Services with Avolare, Doorwerth
The Dierenambulance rescues and brings tens of injured and sick birds and small wild mammals every week to Avolare in Doorwerth. Avolare helps animals in need in a unique and sustainable way, and has two tenets that explain why they help; a moral obligation to help animals who have collided with humans, and animals in need simply have the right to help.
Avolare have developed a system for the Dierenambulance to bring in rescued animals in a way that also ensures the safety of animals already inside.
We phone the emergency line and tell the Avolare staff about the animal we’re bringing in and the situation behind it. On arrival, we head to a wall of wooden cupboards kept outside the main buildings. The cupboards have clean, empty boxes inside we take in exchange for the one we leave behind with the animal inside. When the cupboard is closed, we also push an alarm bolt which sounds an alarm inside to let the staff know a creature has been delivered that needs attention.
Warmth is really important for smaller animals, so some of the cupboards have a couveuse inside, as well as small fabric nests to help the animals conserve their energy.
It seems strange stuffing an animal in need into a cupboard, but the animal is warm and safe, and the darkness helps keeps it calm until the Avolare staff pick him up soon afterwards.
Every animal is examined carefully and treated by the volunteer veterinarian. Volunteer veterinarians are difficult to find, not just because many prefer their paid work instead of volunteering, but that most are trained in treating pets, cattle and horses but not wild animals. Having a veterinarian onsite at Avolare means the animals suffer less stress than they would than if they were transported to a veterinary surgery. This is particularly important for wild animals.
Avolare’s goal is to release the animal back into the wild, but this only happens when the animal is strong enough and capable of an independent life in the wild. Until then, it’s placed in an intensive or medium care stay where the staff keep a close eye on it.
Wild animals need to stay wild; if they become tame then they become less able to fend for themselves independently when they are returned to the wild. For this reason, animals at Avolare remain unnamed to reduce the bond between them and the human volunteers who work there.
Indeed, everything is performed with the animals in mind; for example, rain and groundwater is used in baths for waterbirds which looks dirty but it’s healthier for the animals. Or giving birds of prey long straight enclosures (instead of the round ones used for most other birds) to give them a better line of sight and therefore a stronger feeling of safety.
Hygiene is paramount; staff wear protective suits, gloves and shoes, and enclosures and accessories are washed regularly. Even visitors to the visitor centre are kept away from the animals to minimise the transmission of disease – and also to keep the animals in an environment that’s as stress free as possible.
Avolare takes care of around 10,000 animals every year so it’s very busy, but the care of the animals always leads which makes it a very special place.
If you are interested in finding out more about Avolare and the work they do, you can visit their visitor centre in Doorwerth or their website at avolare.nl.
