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Permitted wildlife rehabilitator in Dover, MA. Caring for orphaned and injured wildlife

10/26/2026

Sorry for the radio silence these past few weeks! Between pets, kids, volunteering, and rehab, life has been busy.

I've had a number of soft releases over the past few weeks, including four squirrels and a chipmunk! All will continue to be support fed through the winter to help them establish themselves as the weather gets colder and natural food sources become less available.

This handsome fellow is Grease Lightning. I've had Grease since he was just three weeks old, when he came to me from VEG Newton. A Good Samaritan had brought him in for euthanasia because of a small puncture wound on his belly, but thankfully the staff at VEG felt he deserved a chance and located a rehabber to transfer him to. And he's certainly made the most of that chance.

Grease is FIERCE. He terrorizes pretty much anyone who comes near him, with the exception of his buddy Sir Reginald, who has been with him since the start of his rehab journey, so they're like family.

He's even taken to chasing RED SQUIRRELS. Who even does that?! 😂 For those who don't know, red squirrels are basically the fiercest of the fierce when it comes to our local squirrels. They're tiny, angry little things that routinely bully squirrels twice their size. Apparently I didn't prepare Grease for that part of wild living.

It's hard to believe he almost didn't get the chance to grow up and experience life as a wild squirrel. And by wild, I mean OUTSIDE, Grease. Please stop coming into my garage. Thanks.

10/14/2026

I’m obsessed with these tiny spotted turtle hatchlings. They are just so cool and personable, and their story is a perfect example of why it’s worth stopping to check turtles on the road.

In early June, a finder brought me a female spotted turtle who had suffered a horrible head injury after being hit by a car. Because reptiles can continue to exhibit reflexive movements after death, her legs were still periodically moving, and the finder wasn’t sure if she was still alive. Unfortunately, she wasn’t. But she had died recently enough that there was still a chance to save her eggs.

I was able to retrieve five eggs, which went into my incubator. Four were viable, and in August, these four little spotted turtles hatched!

Spotted turtles are a ‘Species of Greatest Conservation Need’ in Massachusetts. Although they are not on the state’s endangered species list anymore, their populations are declining. It’s estimated that their population has declined by over 50% in the last 25-30 years. Habitat loss, road mortality, and the illegal pet trade all contribute to this decline. Losing an adult female is especially significant for a species that doesn’t reach sexual maturity until 8-10 years old.

These four will spend the winter in my care rather than entering brumation (the reptile equivalent of hibernation). This approach, called headstarting, allows them to continue growing while their wild counterparts remain inactive in their nests or hibernaculums. The hope is that releasing them next year at a larger size will give them a better chance of surviving in the wild.

I’m sorry that the mom didn’t make it, but glad that her babies will have the opportunity to continue her legacy.

10/04/2026

Chipmunk smiles. 😊

Thank you to everyone who purchased wishlist items! I received so many packages the last few days and I’m extremely grateful, as are the animals in my care and those who will come after! This chipmunk here enjoyed some new enrichment today and tomorrow will get a few new hides and dens to encourage some other natural behaviors. He and I are very appreciative!

Chipmunks make some pretty elaborate tunnel systems and within those tunnel systems are chambers for different needs. They typically have multiple caching chambers with stored food, a bathroom chamber, and a sleeping chamber! I love to use multi “room” wooden houses made by Niteangel and bury them under a thick layer of bedding for my chipmunks. It encourages the behavior of defining spaces for different uses underground. They bring food and leaves down into their makeshift tunnels and I sure hope this practiced behavior helps them to be successful once released!

Hannah Jaques, this handsome fella is the little guy you brought me a few weeks ago.

10/02/2026

This girl came in during the storm this past weekend. There were plenty of squirrel victims during and after the Nor’easter, and she was found soaking wet on the ground in pretty rough shape. Another rehabber did her initial triage and transferred her to me the next day.

At her age, she would normally still be in the nest with her siblings and mother. But she’s a much older orphan than most of the babies that come into care, which means she’s had a lot more time learning how to be a wild squirrel.

And she is VERY committed to being a wild squirrel.

She’s one of the angriest little squirrels I’ve had the pleasure of trying to feed twice a day. Between the growls and lunges, we’re getting it done.

I can’t quite tell whether her new foster sibling (who has been in care since the beginning of September) is helping calm her down, or whether she’s helping wild him up.

Probably a little bit of both. Makes it hard in the moment, but it’s what we want longterm.

10/01/2026

These boys moved outside today! They’re loving all the climbing and browsing opportunities. 🥰

09/30/2026

Asking for donations for my wildlife patients is something I still struggle with.

Wildlife rehabilitation is entirely volunteer work. I choose to do it, and I personally cover a lot of the costs that come with caring for the animals that make their way to me. But wildlife rehabilitators receive no funding from the state for the food, medications, medical supplies, housing, and countless other things we use to care for the public’s wildlife.

This year, I’ve taken in more species than I have in previous years. I’ve said yes to more complicated cases that I might once have shied away from, done more triage, and cared for animals that have required much longer stays. And with that has come a much faster turnover of supplies.

My caseload may seem inconsequential compared with some of the amazing high-volume rehabilitators in Massachusetts. But I keep reminding myself that it isn’t inconsequential to the individual animals in my care.

This little guy is one of them. He came to me last week after an encounter with a dog and was brought to me by a repeat finder who knew where to turn for help. He has been an absolutely perfect patient, tolerating twice-daily bandage changes and medications while his wounds slowly but surely improve.

Cases like his also mean I go through a lot of supplies. Right now, I’m particularly low on wound-care supplies and some very basic everyday items like cage liners and water bottles.

So, despite never being particularly comfortable asking, I’m sharing my Amazon wishlist. If you’d like to help care for local wildlife, purchasing an item from the list is one very direct way to do it. Everything on it is something I use for the animals in my care.

Sharing this post or my wishlist is enormously helpful too.

Thank you for supporting the work that allows animals like this little opossum a chance to heal and return to the wild.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/G2C1ANTNHPC4?ref_=wl_share

09/15/2026

3 days.

This is what three days in the care of a wildlife rehabilitator can look like for an emaciated, dehydrated, and injured orphaned chipmunk.

Three days of warmth, fluids, medication, proper nutrition and rest.

Today, he’s hydrated, eating well, gaining weight, and looking and acting like a completely different animal…which translates to being full of typical chipmunk rage and having a generally furious objection to my existence.

I also want to give a huge amount of credit to his fabulous finders. They texted me before they even picked him up off the ground, wanting to make sure they had appropriate care lined up and knew exactly what to do in the meantime.

They gave him the best possible start to his second chance, and three days later, I think the difference speaks for itself.

09/14/2026

My entire week represented by this totally zonked squirrel.

Turns out having two young kids, a plethora of wildlife patients, and my own personal pets equals a whole lot of lives I’m responsible for. (We’ll add my husband to the list for feeding and provisions. 😉)

It’s been a hard week in rehab. Lots of sad intakes, several who arrived too far gone for me to save, and another handful who are still fighting, with me in their corner.

In the middle of all of that, I’ve been so incredibly grateful to receive several items from my Amazon Wishlist over the past few days. I never quite have the right words for how much it means when someone chooses to support this work. ‘Thank you’ never feels big enough.

So… thank you. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. ❤️

Every package that shows up means supplies I don’t have to worry about buying, and this heartwarming feeling of being supported and validated by my community. This week, that means so so much.

09/11/2026

I took in some orphaned eastern greys earlier this week, and they’ve been struggling to digest formula. We’ve been troubleshooting with moderate success, and after today, I’m hopeful this little guy may finally be trending upward.

He was the worst of the litter on intake, with flystrike both in his mouth and on his body. I’m so very thankful to their finder, who spent a significant amount of time looking for help and carefully following all the instructions I gave her. She was even able to comb off most of the flystrike herself before they got to me (and found it grossly satisfying!)

We’re not out of the woods yet, but I’m cautiously hopeful that we’re starting to move in the right direction. 🤞

09/10/2026

Have you ever thought about becoming a wildlife rehabilitator?

If you’ve ever tried to find help for an injured or orphaned wild animal, you may already know that Massachusetts needs more wildlife rehabilitators. During our busiest months, rehabbers across the state are often stretched to capacity, and in some areas, finding someone able to accept an animal can mean calling dozens people or traveling a significant distance.

Wildlife rehabilitators are state-permitted volunteers who care for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife with the goal of returning healthy animals back to the wild. It can be incredibly rewarding work, but it also requires a significant commitment of time, resources, space, and continued learning.

That’s exactly why now is a great time to start.

Fall and winter offer prospective rehabbers time to learn more about what rehabilitation actually involves, connect with experienced rehabbers, study for and take the Massachusetts wildlife rehabilitation exam, and take advantage of educational opportunities offered during the quieter months.

If wildlife rehabilitation is something you’ve been thinking about (even if you’re not sure yet whether it’s for you) we encourage you to learn more. Visit WRAMinc.org for information about becoming a permitted wildlife rehabilitator in Massachusetts and resources to help you get started.

Address

Dover, MA
02030

Telephone

+15085054309

Website

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/G2C1ANTNHPC4?ref_=wl_share, http://www.keepwildrescue.org/

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