Charlie

Charlie is the perfect example of why Sara’s Sanctuary was created and what we strive to achieve with all the animals that find their way to our door.  With patience, persistence and a lot of love, almost every one of them can have a very happy story, too!

Charlie came to us from a wonderful, caring rescuer in California who had been trying to raise him in his kitchen for over a year. Although, he obviously loved this crow, he knew Charlie needed more specialized care than he would be able to provide. So, he brought him to here to our Sanctuary.  Charlie had no tail or wing feathers. We called him “Bumble Bee” because he and would fly straight up and drop back down, he couldn’t balance himself upright on a perch.  We needed to build a cage that would help to keep him from continually falling on his back. We added different sized ladders for him to learn to balance himself and to eventually be able to walk down onto the grass when he was strong enough and finally conquered his fear of open spaces. 

Charlie also had developed what’s known as “scissor beak”. This required his food to be cut into very small pieces and hand fed to him three times a day. He also needed supplements to help his feathers grow back without breaking off. We massaged his beak twice a day to train his beak to move back into a normal position. We were sure that Charlie would remain in captivity for the rest of his life, but after two years, all of his feathers were fully restored and he was able to eat completely by himself.  He was moved to a flight pen to  allow him to gain enough wing strength to learn to fly again.  Another crow that had been  rescued and released on our property began coming Charlie’s enclosure and eventually befriend Charlie through the enclosure wire.  We cut a hole to see if Charlie showed any interest in flying free. One incredible day, after several weeks, he finally chose to pair with the other crow and flew out of the enclosure to be free on the property.  That was two years ago and they are both still together.  Every day they come to remind me to put out the fresh food they have grown to expect. They, and their family, are wonderfully protective of the Sanctuary and show that by chasing away the hawks that frequently come here wanting to feed on other birds and squirrels living on our property.

After seeing the unbelievable and horrendous things humans either do or allow to happen to animals, this is the perfect story. This is exactly why we work so hard to provide everything possible to ensure a happy ending for all our animals and birds who have and will call Sara’s Sanctuary their safe haven. 

Bob and Al

Bob was rescued from a padlocked 8′ x 10′ cage in which he had lived for fourteen years. He had never been outside that cage in all those years. When he was rescued, he was deep in his own feces. His body was plastered with dried feces, he had open sores on his belly, edema  in his legs, and a respiratory infection. He could hardly stand and was literally at death’s door.

Bob was taken from an horrific environment. A local independent zoo veterinarian, who examined Bob, held out little hope for his survival. This veterinarian thought Bob would not regain the use of his legs and advised us to put him down. This was not an option;  he deserved our best effort to get him walking. We dedicated many hours to his rehabilitation. Against all odds, Bob survived. Not only did he survive, he is now thriving.

We believed that Bob should be given that chance in life to feel grass under his feet.  Bob  fully recovered and has been thiving on acres of open ground, like any normal emu should be. It took many months of rehabililiation to get him what he deserved. Bob is very old now, past his life expentency. But every day that Bob is with us, we feel so very lucky to have given him this opporunity to thrive in love, peace and freedom from being caged. 

Happily, Sara’s Sanctuary has become Bob’s forever home. Consider sponsoring Bob, knowing that you are helping a wonderful animal live his life in a natural, comfortable and caring environment.

 Terri considers meeting Lesley to be one of the most fortunate things that happened to her and the sanctuary’s animals. Not only is Lesley a highly skilled vet, she is an extremely compassionate and empathetic human being. Lesley handles the animals with all the sensitivity and kindness that these traumatized creatures deserve. 

 The amazing recovery of many sanctuary animals it attributed to the hours of research, consultation, veterinary care and devotion provided by Terri and Lesley. The results have been the amazing recovery of animals.  

Although not all of the animals that come to the sanctuary live long lives, they are all given the best care possible for the length of time they have left. Those who meet and care for them, even if only for a short time, are touched.
The Sanctuary was founded on the belief that the animals in our community are in our care. That care means a responsibility for the safety, well-being, and quality of life for all animals.  

This is the Beginning a Better Life for This Wonderful Serval. 

We were called to help with a Serval that the owners could no longer care for. This little girl,  was being kept in a back yard in a busy crowded neighborhood.  Her enclosure was a very unsecured small pen, put together with small zip ties and wild bird netting. The owner told us that this cat probably had an abscess and that they had done nothing to treat it. When we first set eyes on her, she was huddled in a corner gnawing on a growth on her leg. It was obvious that it was not an abscess, but a very large tumor. 

Prepping for surgery

She had not received any medical care for this very painful,  long-time growth.  This owner knew it was illegal to own this type of exotic cat in the State of Washington without a USDA license.  Probably one of the reasons that he did  not seek medical help for her. 

When we picked this serval up, we immediately took her to our vet and had her health issues assessed. The tumor was removed the next day and the pathology report came back. This is a very aggressive form of cancer.  Although she is in no pain now, we will have to wait to see if she will be able to keep the leg, or even survive this cancer. Because this tumor was left for such a long time, it might have already metastasized to her lungs. 

The tumor is finally out!

She is a very happy kitty now! She is experiencing things everyday that are new and exciting – especially with the other animals around her.  Only a few days after surgery, she is climbing on platforms, to levels of 15′.  She want’s to pounce on her prey and she is getting the diet that she  has needed all these years.  Jess is already a different serval compared to when we first met her. These cats so deserve to live in the wild, not  be somone’s pet in their powder room or garage.

Please, teachers and parents – animals should not be in a class room and used for a school project!

To sponsor one of our wonderful animals at the Sanctuary like Spinner, click here.

Milly the Mallard

Milly is a sweet little mallard hen who is the queen of our flight pen.  In 1992, we were contacted about a little duck in desperate need of help.  She was found in a garbage can outside a restaurant.  She was missing her eyes.  Sadly, in some cultures it is considered a delicacy to eat the eyes of living ducks. That is what happened to Milly.  She was brought to the Sanctuary and where her wounds were healed. She now gets around with the help of a chicken who was also cruelly injured by its former owner.  Milly has thrived and has reached the age of 20, way past her life expectancy. She love to swin in the pond and sit in the sun.  She’s our little warrior and we love her so much!  

To sponsor one of our wonderful animals at the Sanctuary, click here.

Terri constructed a special support device similar to a baby’s Johnny Jump-Up for Pierre that allowed him to stand upright, be fed upright, and start moving his legs so that his muscles could start developing. After four months of continuous therapy and muscle stimulation, Pierre was able to remain upright on his own and started walking.

He is now completely recovered and even has attracted the attention of a lovely female duck. This is truly a miraculous recovery.

Sponsoring Pierre will allow him to live out his life at the sanctuary in comfort and happiness.  To sponsor one of our wonderful animals at the Sanctuary, click here.

Terri refused his “help” and brought Jane home to the Sanctuary to set her broken legs. With time, good food and lots of love she nursed her back to health. Jane is now flying, walking and perching normally, socializing with all her friends and is part of the happy family here at the Sanctuary.

To sponsor one of our wonderful animals at the Sanctuary, click here.