This is not as much of a blog entry as it is a report on an event.
So I was at the gym, making myself all buff (not really). After I'm done I walk to the change room to take a shower. However, there was a bird in the middle of the hallway. This is a 6th floor gym downtown, so I was a little taken aback. I exclaimed "Bird, what are you doing here?". He then got spooked, tried to fly away but crashed into the glass wall in front of the pool area.
I worked at a vet clinic in rural BC for 3 summers and was hoping that he was just stunned (as birds usually are after hitting a window). They recommend leaving them and waiting 20 minutes before intervening, but obviously I couldn't leave him in the gym. I get a towel to pick him up and move him, and then I notice that he was bleeding out of his beak and his pupils quickly dilated. I go to the office area and ask if they knew of any vets that treated injured wildlife. Everyone looked confused for a moment and then realized I was carrying an injured bird. I didn't know that 2 of the trainers had huge phobias of birds and they panicked when they saw him. However, realizing that it was injured and in a towel they eased up a bit.
Or so they thought...
Almost on cue the bird leaps out of the towel directly into one of the frightened trainers. She screams and runs away. The other trainer is glued to the side of the room, while the massage therapist goes and helps me get him into a box. She then called a few vets and asked if they could take birds. Most of them either said they couldn't or that the most they could offer was euthanasia. I don't really know what to do.
I then remember I had plans that afternoon with a friend and would be late if I took the bird to a vet. I phone my friend and tell her(with a wavering, frantic voice) that I was so sorry but I had an injured bird and needed to get it medical attention. Thankfully she was cool about it and suggested that I go to the wild bird care center. I didn't know such a place existed, so she gave me the number and address and I was determined to get there.
However, you are not allowed to bring animals on OC transpo and it would take me over an hour to get there by bus, and I don't drive. So I jump into a taxi and give him the address. I felt kind of bad for the driver - he was driving to a place that's in the middle of nowhere with a disheveled and sweaty young woman clutching a box and whispering "it's going to be ok, they're going to take care of you" to said box.
So a 50.00$ taxi ride later I am able to bring the bird in and fill out the paperwork. He did not appreciate being examined, and the vet technicians looked at me doubtfully when I insisted that he had a possible head injury.
Anyways, they gave me a number to check up on him and sent me out the door. I got home after 2 hours of walking, busses and transfers (as this place was in the middle of nowhere).
I really hope he's ok, I shall give updates.
I worked at a vet clinic in rural BC for 3 summers and was hoping that he was just stunned (as birds usually are after hitting a window). They recommend leaving them and waiting 20 minutes before intervening, but obviously I couldn't leave him in the gym. I get a towel to pick him up and move him, and then I notice that he was bleeding out of his beak and his pupils quickly dilated. I go to the office area and ask if they knew of any vets that treated injured wildlife. Everyone looked confused for a moment and then realized I was carrying an injured bird. I didn't know that 2 of the trainers had huge phobias of birds and they panicked when they saw him. However, realizing that it was injured and in a towel they eased up a bit.
Or so they thought...
Almost on cue the bird leaps out of the towel directly into one of the frightened trainers. She screams and runs away. The other trainer is glued to the side of the room, while the massage therapist goes and helps me get him into a box. She then called a few vets and asked if they could take birds. Most of them either said they couldn't or that the most they could offer was euthanasia. I don't really know what to do.
I then remember I had plans that afternoon with a friend and would be late if I took the bird to a vet. I phone my friend and tell her(with a wavering, frantic voice) that I was so sorry but I had an injured bird and needed to get it medical attention. Thankfully she was cool about it and suggested that I go to the wild bird care center. I didn't know such a place existed, so she gave me the number and address and I was determined to get there.
However, you are not allowed to bring animals on OC transpo and it would take me over an hour to get there by bus, and I don't drive. So I jump into a taxi and give him the address. I felt kind of bad for the driver - he was driving to a place that's in the middle of nowhere with a disheveled and sweaty young woman clutching a box and whispering "it's going to be ok, they're going to take care of you" to said box.
So a 50.00$ taxi ride later I am able to bring the bird in and fill out the paperwork. He did not appreciate being examined, and the vet technicians looked at me doubtfully when I insisted that he had a possible head injury.
Anyways, they gave me a number to check up on him and sent me out the door. I got home after 2 hours of walking, busses and transfers (as this place was in the middle of nowhere).
I really hope he's ok, I shall give updates.
No comments:
Post a Comment