Ame Vanorio joins me from Falmouth, Kentucky to talk all about wildlife rescue. She runs Fox Run Environmental Education Center, where she rehabilitates animals to be released back into the wild. She lives off the grid, teaching people about wildlife, alternative energy, organic gardening, medicinal herbs, and the list goes on.

Ame’s background is in both education and environmental science. I believe that comes through in everything she does. She brings a humane angle to learning about animals such as opossums, raccoons, even snakes. She not only teaches us the science behind their physical bodies and environments, but helps us understand emotion and how each animal is actually a lot like us.

She shares 3 clear simple ideas that we can use to actually help with wildlife rescue ourselves.

1. Compassion. First and foremost, when we see a wild animal, start from a place of compassion. There’s a chance the animal is near us because it is sick, or injured, or stressed.

2. Download Animal Help Now App. Ever get stuck seeing an animal and not knowing what to do? You can literally tap on the app and find a wildlife rehabilitator near you to ask.

3. Place a Wildlife Rescue Kit in our car. This will help us to have what we need if we find an animal in trouble. We ALL really can help with wildlife rescue. Link to DIY kit.

Ame even encourages everyone to study more and become a wildlife rehabilitator if interested. Her website is a wealth of information. I seriously think we could get a college degree by just reading her blog posts!

We go through multiple “I Found an Animal, What Should I Do?” scenarios in our interview.

1. Turtle in the road

2. Stray cat without a home

3. Snake, opossum, gopher, etc. in back yard

4. Raccoon in yard or trash

5. Coyote or deer in the neighborhood

6. Bird has fallen from a tree

7. Mice in the house

Show notes are available at http://ForAnimalsForEarth.com/podcast/16

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