Venderick’s Healing Paw

11/05/2026

Tonight, we welcomed two new little ones into our care. These two spent the last week with their finder after a tree was cut down, resulting in the tragic displacement of a litter of four. Sadly, reunification attempts weren't made right away and two of their siblings did not survive.

Determined to give these remaining two a fighting chance, their dedicated finder drove over an hour tonight to get them safely into our care. They are now settling in, warm, and receiving the specialized care they need. They will be spending the winter with us, and after a quarantine period with join the other three babies we have in care close in age.

11/04/2026

When blueberries are your favorite breakfast treat. This little lady was unbothered savoring her blueberry while her siblings blocked her moment to shine with their big fluffy tails. These are the three little babies we recently took in and boy they are growing up so fast.

11/04/2026

The matching program ends November 19th. If you haven’t donated and would like to there’s still time.

Want to double your donation to our rescue?

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union is giving back through their Matching Gifts Program and members can help our rescue in an incredible big way!

Head to ➡️: https://charteroak.org/community-giving/matching-gifts-program/

⏺️ Choose Venderick’s Healing Paw as your 501c3 charity.

⏺️ Make your donation and complete the Matching Gifts Member Request Form.

⏺️ Send your donation and the form to Venderick’s Healing Paw and Charter Oak will match it, up to $500 per member!

That means your $25 donation turns into $50 or your $500 donation instantly becomes $1,000 This is a huge way to help us care for wildlife in need.

This matching program is going on now through November 19th.

Every single dollar matters and helps us save more animals.

11/02/2026

Yesterday we welcomed an adult grey squirrel who was found struggling in the road. This poor girl was dragging her back end in an attempt to get away but we are so grateful the finder was able to safely scoop her up before she was struck again and brought her to us.

Upon intake, she was showing a positive pain response in both of her back legs and tail, and she hasn't lost bladder function which are all encouraging signs for nerve response. With cases involving potential spinal trauma, our immediate priority is getting X-rays to check for fractures or unrepairable spinal damage.

That vet trip is planned for this week. In the meantime, she is safe, warm, and resting comfortably with supportive care.

11/01/2026

🎃We would love your Pumpkins 🎃

A reminder, once Halloween is over, we will happily take your carved or uncarved pumpkins for the critters.

We only accept natural pumpkins:

No bleach
No coating/paint of any kind
No treated pumpkins

🔸You can drop off any time and leave on our side stoop (pm for address) or we can pick up if local.

🔸local farms are also a great option to donate your unwanted pumpkins

At our rescue we use them for enrichment as well as food as part of a balanced diet while the animals are in care.

11/01/2026

⚠️Please give wildlife a brake ⚠️

Daylight savings, especially in the fall, is a dangerous time for wildlife. The change causes more animal collisions. Deer collisions alone increase by 16% each year during this time.

Animals don’t abide by time on a clock they follow the sun. This means when you’re now commuting in the dark that’s when a lot of animals become more active. It’s important to be mindful of this and stay alert while driving.

Things you can do ⬇️

🚘 Slow down and use your headlights

🚯 Do not litter! Litter or food in roadways attracts animals.

📵 Don’t drive distracted

⛑️Keep an animal rescue kit in your vehicle in the event you find an injured animal or accidentally hit an animal. Call a rehabber.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween to those who celebrate 👻

Remember when you're out trick-or-treating tonight to be mindful of wildlife. Drive slow, don’t litter, and most of all have fun.

10/28/2026

Update: we have found a volunteer, thank you so much to everyone who has reached out.

We are looking for a Volunteer

As you can imagine, running a wildlife rescue means our laundry baskets are never empty. We run out of blankets, hammocks, and beds quickly waiting for them to be washed.

We usually handle everything behind the scenes ourselves, but when things get busy this is the task that often gets sidelined because it’s time consuming and animal care takes priority. A little help with the laundry load would make a world of difference.

We are looking for an amazing volunteer to help us tackle the laundry load once or twice a month.

🧺The task is simple:

➡️Pick up the filled laundry bags from us.
➡️Take them to the local laundromat to wash and dry. We will cover the cost and detergent.
➡️Bring them back clean, folded, and ready to use.

If you love animals, want to support local wildlife, and have a little free time once or twice a month to help us out, we would be so grateful. Drop a comment below or send us a message if you're interested

10/28/2026

Our three youngest babies are growing up quickly. They have transitioned to their big cage and are loving their veggies/block while also still receiving formula multiple times a day. Overall they are thriving.

10/27/2026

Wildlife rehabilitation is a journey of extreme highs and profound lows. Just as we start to slow down from the exhaustion of a non-stop, high-volume baby season, Fall hits us with its own distinct heaviness bringing waves of trauma cases that continue all throughout the winter. Right now, wild squirrels are racing against time to cache food and winterize nests, and that frantic rush often leads to devastating accidents.

Tonight, we carried that weight to the vet with two of our latest trauma cases. X-rays confirmed their injuries were far too severe to recover. Making the compassionate call to end suffering is the hardest part of what we do, but providing safety, pain relief, and a peaceful, dignified end is a promise we always keep.

So much happens behind the scenes day to day that never makes it to social media. Every single loss affects me personally so deeply, but we don’t always share these moments because we strive to keep this space positive. Having experienced loss both as a rehabber and a human; but at times simply reading about an animal’s tragic story on Facebook, that grief hits almost the exact same way, at least it does for me. That heartbreak lingers whether you personally cared for the animal or not, and I never want to pass that heavy weight onto you if I can help it.

Days like today leave us feeling defeated. But looking up at this beautiful photo finally hung on the wall, a gift I absolutely treasure and one that never fails to make me smile, I am reminded of why we do this.

We don't just carry the grief; we carry gratitude for the animals we do save, the community standing behind us, and the core of our mission. Thank you for supporting Venderick's Healing Paw through the darkest days and the happiest ones.