Brighter Days: June 2015

Thursday, 18 June 2015

Some days just aren't as good as others, in fact some days seem downright unfair. They're the days when you just can't work out why things have turned out the way they have and the nights when you lose sleep thinking how you can make everything better. But they're also the days when we need to trust God more than ever. We need to reassure ourselves that He is there in the midst of all the pain, doing something really good behind the scenes.

Sunday, 14 June 2015

Yesterday as I arrived at my son's tennis lessons I noticed the coach and a number of parents huddled talking,  looking concerned and distressed. At the same time I noted two crows lying (looking dead) on the green, grass surrounds of the beautiful tennis club we attend. Being a animal lover I raced over to see what had happened. It appears that the birds had been poisoned as a grain like substance was then discovered along the fence line and that's where the birds were originally found before they stumbled away. I quickly offered to help however I could. The tennis coach's wife, also an animal enthusiast, and I talked over what we should do. I decided to call the local ranger and then the RSPCA and she made sure the area was protected from the young children that often played on that grass area and warned people with their dogs to keep clear. The RSPCA told me that the vet just down the road took in wildlife. I knew exactly where it was and it was only 2 minutes away. The RSPCA also arranged for the local ranger (who I wasn't able to get through to) to attend the tennis club and help out.

The poor birds were so very still but were alive and occasionally tried to move. They didn't flinch when I carefully lifted them in to a box. I was praying for them and at the same time praying for the horrible people who did this to come to their senses.  I raced them down to the vet and was met by a very helpful receptionist who took them in straight away.   I explained to the vet all I could and she decided she would give them some fluids but if they didn't improve in the next half hour she would euthanize them... I felt relived that they wouldn't suffer the slow death they would have if I hadn't have got them there. I left my number with them and raced off to collect my other son to drop him off at football.

I had such mixed emotions. Happy I had helped the birds, emotional at seeing these feeble animals and very angry at the person who did this. Never quite understanding the cruelty that some people inflicted upon animals I had become a vegetarian when I was 19 to demonstrate my loyalty and love to all creatures great and small.   Why I can't even kill a moth or a spider in the house!! I catch it and set it free... I've been called the ".............." (fill it in with any animal you like?) "whisperer" more once or twice in my lifetime :) I suppose I'm quite a compassionate person and just want to help any living thing that is hurting.

I returned to the tennis club after the footy drop off and the ranger was there picking up every last bit of grain with gloved hands. He had also notified the police of this event. With the amount of little kids in this area it was lucking they didn't touch the poisonous product. In that time we had other parents come along and inform us that they had seen more dead birds here during the week.

This afternoon I checked my phone for the call I had missed this morning in church. It was the vet. As I listened to the message I could hardly believe my ears. The birds had made a full recovery!! It was so hard to believe that the lifeless, juvenile crows I picked up were completely well again. The vet was closed so I couldn't get there but I left a message as the vet had asked where I found them so she could release them back to their familiar surroundings.

Tomorrow I am heading to the vet to thank them with a card and chocolates!! And who knows maybe I will be lucky enough to help release them? What an incredible birthday present that would be!

Praise God for this miracle. Thank you Jesus for making me a part of this rescue. It has made my weekend :)