Consider adding local animal rescue organizations to your holiday gift list

When you are making your list and checking it twice this Christmas, you may want to add a few dozen eggs to your cart for wildlife in need.

Hope Swinimer at Hope For Wildlife says eggs offer much-needed nutritional needs and protein for animals that are struggling with injuries or sickness in her care.

“What a weird thing to ask for, I know,” she says with a laugh, but the reality is eggs are crucial to the diet provided at the centre.

“It’s a universal food. It’s very high in nutrition and can be fed to everything from crows to songbirds to bobcats to mammals. Everything munches on it and everything likes it,” Swinimer says.

If this winter is anything like last winter, wildlife could be struggling once again to survive.

“Winter is a time when we see a lot of starving animals. Last winter, we were just inundated with hundreds of patients, and it really was quite overwhelming.”

Swinimer says the centre was flooded with calls from concerned residents wondering what they could do to help wildlife in their area whose food source was buried under massive piles of snow and ice.

Hard-boiled eggs that have been de-shelled and dry cat kibble are among the most nutritious source of food for most animals, including birds. Swinimer says it is essential that the eggs are cooked to prevent salmonella poisoning, and that the shells are removed from the cooked eggs before being fed to wildlife as the sharp edges, which become harder when cooked, can perforate animal intestines.

“I’ve never had too many eggs, so it’s one of those things that we need to put the call out for once in a while,” Swinimer says. “We can use them 365 days a year.”

Since 1997, the Hope for Wildlife Society has helped more than 20,000 injured and orphaned wild animals representing over 250 species. Animals admitted to the Hope for Wildlife Society receive medical care, food, shelter and whatever else is needed to ensure a successful return to the wild.

Now, more than 15 years since it all began, the Hope for Wildlife Society has grown to more than 100 volunteers and rehabilitates more than 2,500 animals per year from all over the province. Funding comes from donations as well as corporate and government grants, community groups and annual fundraisers.

If you would like to donate uncooked, fresh eggs to Hope For Wildlife, you can drop off your egg donation to the centre located at 5909 Hwy 207 in Seaforth.

But like many non-profit animal charities in Nova Scotia, the wildlife centre is always looking for monetary donations as well. As a registered charity, donations are tax deductible and can be made online and through other means.

For more information about Hope For Wildlife go to hopeforwildlife.net/mission.html.

Pets in Need

Unfortunately, wildlife are not the only animals in need of care. There are dozens of non-profit groups in this province involving hundreds of volunteers that are making a difference in the lives homeless dogs, cats and other pets that would also welcome a monetary gift or donation this Christmas.

Nova Scotia SPCA spokeswoman Courtney Zylstra says there are always supplies shelters need year-round that would be a welcome gift this Christmas, including donations of bleach, garbage bags and wet cat food.

“We can never have enough of those items,” Zylstra says.

Other top priority items include non-clumping kitty litter, plain white photocopy paper, paper towels and toilet paper, latex gloves and small dog treats for training. The SPCA posts an updated wish list of other supplies they need on their website at spcans.ca/how-to-help/donate/wishlist.

Zylstra says anyone wanting to make a donation of any of the needed items can just drop them off at their local SPCA shelter. There are also donation boxes outside branches for drop-offs after hours.

“Any of our branches would be more than thrilled to have someone show up at their front door,” she says.

Zylstra says when their bounty is plentiful, the SPCA will also share supplies with with other animal rescue groups, especially those dealing with cats.

With so many feral cats in Nova Scotia, Zylstra says, even if you can’t give a donation, constructing a simple cat shelter for the winter months would be a huge contribution and could save a cat’s life.

And, the gift of your time is always appreciated at Christmas and year-round. Local animal shelters are always putting the call out for volunteers to walk a homeless dog waiting to be adopted, or snuggle with a shelter cat that is in need of some lovin’.

“Giving your time to the SPCA is just as valuable as gifts or monetary donations. We welcome everyone to come to walk a dog, cuddle a kitten or volunteer at the many initiatives we have over the holiday season. To find out about volunteer opportunities visit our website at www.spcans.ca or our Facebook pages,” Zylstra says.