My life revolves around animals, and the connection we humans enjoy with them. Whether I am helping clients with their pets, working with various rescues, rehabilitating wildlife, or enjoying my own animal companions, a huge portion of my time and my heart are dedicated to our non-human brethren. Of course, I feel that by enriching the bond with the animals in wonderful ways, our human family thrives as well.

Most of this site, obviously, is about my consultation services, and you will also find, under this menu, pages begun for my own animal family members. On this page, I introduce another passion involving animals:

Although I work with many different rescue organizations in various capacities, and do animal rescue myself, there are a few subjects that are especially close to my heart.

I am honored to be on the board of directors of this wonderful organization, run by my dear friend Wes Laraway and his wonderful family and volunteers. NYWRC/NELR rescues hundreds of animals every year, between the wildlife they take in, rehab, and release and the llamas, alpacas and other farm animals they help. The organization subsists solely on donations and out of the pockets of its founders. Please consider visiting their website, and clicking that “donate” button at the bottom of the page.

When the old Saluki Rescue organization disbanded at the turn of the millennium, I opened a contact website as a stopgap measure so Salukis in need and people who can help them could find one another. As a result, when the breed club asked that a new official rescue group be put together,  I  was asked to gather the people I felt could best accomplish the task. As a result of our discussions, STOLA was born. As one of the founders and a past president of the group, I am incredibly proud of the work they have done. I still volunteer for them, and I maintain their website. Feel free to pay a visit to STOLA.org and look around, and perhaps lend them your support, as well.

Through NYWRC and Wes Laraway, I was introduced to the world of wildlife rehabilitation. It has opened up a whole new world of experience for me. In 2008, I became assistant to a Federal Migratory Bird expert, Kelly Martin, and began taking in orphaned and misplaced baby songbirds to raise and release. I have raised a group of babies every year since, with the exception of 2009, as I spent all that summer in a wheelchair (here is the link to my Pyoderma Gangrenosum Evernote blog if you want more of that too-long story … and have a fairly strong stomach).

As I type on this late-June evening, I have six Starlings (who may be joined tomorrow by a pair of American Robins) out in my soft-release aviary, in fact.

You can read more about Wildlife Rehabilitation in NY State at the following link:

• New York Wildlife Rehabilitation Council