© irene waters 2015
This week Kate and Charli have given us the prompt of animal rescue for this week’s 99 word flash. My first rescue was Trog the cat. Her mother had been shot and her less than four week old kittens were struggling for life. The only one we could get near was Trog, named as we were looking for trogladyte fossils at the time. If any animal could have turned us off animal rescue it was her. We haven’t had a cat since. Despite her vicious nature she loved us and we loved her (preferably from a distance). She couldn’t help her attacks.Her siblings hadn’t taught her the difference between stimulation to kill or to love they were both the same to her. Purring for both, sinking her teeth into the bone for both also.
s© irene waters 2015
Snowflake had a gammy leg and no-one wanted her. I don’t know that we so much rescued her as our local farmer mentor saw us as the suckers who would give the animal a home. Us or a bullet. She too was a little too quick with her back leg kicks and biting with her aging yellow teeth.
© irene waters 2015
The wallabies mother had been killed by a car and rescued from the pouch. Luckily she was an older joey as I didn’t fancy the method for a younger one attached to the teat. Here we would have had to operate and cut the teat off to bring the joey out. Removing it from the mouth when it was firmly attached causes lasting problems and sometimes renders the animal incapable of sucking and eating again. We also rescued snakes and flying foxes and sugar gliders whilst we had the farm. On each occasion we passed the animal on to the local expert from WIRES (Wildlife rescue). Most of these animals are not allowed to be kept domestically without a permit and we certainly didn’t have the specialised knowledge required.
© irene waters 2015
Both of our latest dogs were rescue dogs. Zack dying just last week and is sorely missed but we wouldn’t have been without his company and the joy he gave us for quids. Bundy after a few days mourning is bouncing back making us laugh at his antics.
My flash is about another animal we rescued.
“I have to turn round and get him off the road.”
“No. You’ll kill us and I don’t want to see it run over just as we get there.”
The car turns arriving at the tortoise just as a car comes from the other direction. It runs over the shell now stationary in the centre of the road. Arms, legs and head all pulled in for safety. I jump out and grab him.
“His shell’s cracked in half. He’s going to die.”
“No he won’t. I’ll save him.”
Once home Roger fibreglassed the shell making it intact. It lived.
My husband is a softer touch than me when it comes to animals and I was so glad this worked. It was certain death without an intact shell otherwise.
June 10, 2015 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about an animal rescue. It can be a typical dog or cat rescue from the pound, or helping a critter less fortunate. Go where the prompt leads you.
Respond by June 16, 2015 to be included in the weekly compilation.Rules are here. All writers are welcome!
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
What lovely stories about such kindhearted and compassionate people. How lucky all those animals were to meet you. I am so sorry for the loss of your friend Zack, but pleased that Bundy has bounced back. I am amazed that the turtle survived being run over. It probably wouldn’t have if you had not been there at the right time to rescue it. It always saddens me when I see our precious animals killed on the road.
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Yes driving our roads can be quite depressing at times. I think turtle shells must be quite strong because instead of splintering into thousands of pieces we would often find them with just one or two fractures. Often the animal had been pierced by pieces of it but this one in the story didn’t seem bodily to be injured. They can’t survive a fractured shell though so Roger I thought was quite creative in his repair work which seemed to work. The tortoise lived in our dam for at least awhile after the repair.
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Yes, Roger was both creative and compassionate. Lucky turtle! 🙂
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You’re the one for the animal world. Would never have known that an injured tortoise could be rescued by fiberglassing its shell. Did you name it Cowabunga?
And Trog – I’m not a big one for cats as nearly the whole family is allergic to felines, but Trog is one of the most beautiful creatures – her fur is gorgeous. Such a mesmerizing pattern of flags across her body, right down to the darkened tip of her tail.
Then Zacky – please tell us more stories of him and Bundy.
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Yes we love our animals Sharon. I think it was an experiment which worked thankfully. Roger insisted on stopping for all tortoises on the road to put them safely on the other side. He often endangered us in his turning around or where we stopped but he just couldn’t bear the thought they’d be injured. I couldn’t bear the thought that we would see them squashed when we went back. Didn’t think of naming him but the next one will be given that name for sure.
Trog was beautiful and very fine featured. You probably would have been okay with her because she avoided people she didn’t know .
More tales will definitely be forthcoming knowing that you want to hear them. 🙂
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Thank you for the additional stories – so engaging.
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What a delightful read! I would not be able to write about such adventures myself, but I love reading animal stories. You and your husband have been real God-sends to each of those animals! Love the pictures, too! Snowflake is such a pretty girl!
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If we lived in the city we probably wouldn’t have had these opportunities but we love animals and I’m glad that you enjoyed hearing about them. Snowflake is pretty and we ended up getting two donkeys to keep her company.
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Yes… an advantage of country living and of being in Australia, too! 🙂 I’m glad that Snowflake and the donkeys can keep each other company!
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Horses really do like company and she loved and still does love the donkeys although we no longer have the farm.
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Do you still have your animals and are you still living in the countryside, Irene?
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We live in town now so we don’t have the range. I know though that the donkeys and snowflake are living on a farm around the corner from where we were and are very happy roaming their paddocks. The people they went to had another seven miniature horses so Snowflake was as happy as Larry to be with her own kind although the donkeys always seem to be close by.
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I think there is a special place in heaven for people like you for the kindness you have shown animals in need over the years ❤
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I don’t think we are unusual apart from having been in the position to have creatures in need of rescue. If we had lived in the city it wouldn’t have happened but thank you for hoping we go to a nice place in heaven. 🙂
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I’m crying. Seriously. That story and the pictures. ❤
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Thanks Sarah. 🙂
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We now care for a tortoise with a repaired shell. Still going strong she is too.
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That is wonderful to hear. Did they repair her with fibreglass?
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Polyfilla which is used to fill small holes in plater work.
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The Hub road rescues snakes! Once it was a six-foot rattler, that he scooted off a Montana highway. What a clever idea, though, to fiberglass a broken shell. You’ve had some interesting rescue animals. By nature, rescue animals tend to be ones that are not friendly or cooperative. The unlovable need love the most. I did not know that about rescuing joeys! I’m still sorrowful for your loss of Zach, but glad Bundy is bringing you laughter with his antics.
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Thanks Charli. Glad to hear about the snake rescue. I can’t say I love snakes but I would never choose to kill one so good on your husband. Yes Bundy is making us smile. Thanks for your thoughts.
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