For The Love Of Finn

09/05/2026

🦊 **West Elmira — we need your eyes open for another fox with mange.**

Today we received a call about a fox with mange on West Clinton Street, in the same general area where we were previously looking for another fox with mange a few months back.

This one **does not appear to be the same fox**, although I can't say that with 100% certainty.

The homeowners have each seen this fox once, but that certainly doesn't mean those are the only times it's been there. There is cat food being left on a porch/deck, so it's very possible the fox has been visiting when no one is around to see it. Interestingly, none of the neighbors' cameras have picked it up so far.

This fox appears to be on the smaller side and looks to be a spring baby. At this point, the young foxes are getting close to adult size, but they can still have a slightly smaller stature.

**So we're asking everyone in the West Elmira area to please keep an eye out.** Check your cameras, watch for him, and if you see him, please let us know where and when. Photos and video are incredibly helpful.

When we have a fox with a severe case of mange, our goal is to trap it when possible so we can get it the care it needs. And this is where that very important phrase comes in:

**It takes a village. ❤️**

Wildlife rehabilitation is a community effort. Sometimes it's a wildlife rehabilitator, sometimes it's a homeowner, sometimes it's a neighbor watching a camera, and sometimes it's someone simply making a phone call and sharing information.

Every set of eyes helps. Every piece of information helps. Every person who gets involved can make a difference.

We're getting a lot of calls about foxes with mange right now, and there are only so many eyes, cameras and hours in a day—but **together, we can cover a whole lot more ground.**

So West Elmira, let's keep an eye out for this little guy. 🦊

**If you see him, please reach out. Let's see if we can help another fox. ❤️**

607-215-2124 feel free to text or call.

09/05/2026

🦊 **Fox Update — Day One**

We have a good update on the fox we brought in last night. ❤️

He did well through the night! He ate everything we offered **except the kibble**. We already knew he was having difficulty with anything hard or challenging to eat, so that wasn’t unexpected. He also drank, urinated, and had a bowel movement — all things we want to see.

His stool is very loose and runny, so we’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on that. We already suspect intestinal parasites may be part of what’s going on, and we’ll have him properly checked and treated. Since it’s a holiday weekend, we’re likely looking at Tuesday unless his condition changes and we feel he needs care sooner. We can also begin appropriate intestinal deworming here in the meantime.

He finally settled down and fell asleep around **7:40 this morning**, and I just couldn’t bring myself to wake him up to clean his enclosure! 😂 So I waited until he was up and then got everything cleaned and freshened.

For now, he’s in an **extra-large dog crate rather than one of our isolation cages**. Our isolation cages are large, but the dog crate actually gives him a little more room and is easier for us to manage and maneuver — especially since we were also working with a trap when we first brought him in.

Given how shaky and unsteady he was overnight, I still didn’t want to give him *too much* space right away. We want to find that balance between allowing him enough room to move and keeping him calm while he’s weak. We definitely don’t want him overdoing it.

And then there was the **little low growl** when I moved him into the clean enclosure. 🥰

That might not sound like much, but to us, it’s a good thing! **He shouldn’t like me.** 😂 A wild fox being unhappy with me is exactly what we want to see.

If he has another good night, we’ll likely look at moving him into something even larger so he can move around more.

One thing I’m particularly concerned about right now is **his vision**. It does appear that he may have some vision impairment, but it’s important to remember just how much this little guy has been through. He is **emaciated and has clearly been struggling for some time**, so we have to consider the possibility of nutritional deficiencies as well.

He simply hasn’t been getting the nutrition his body needs. Sometimes, when an animal has been severely compromised nutritionally, we can see changes and improvement in things like strength, coordination and other functions once we begin providing proper nutrition and allowing the body to recover.

So while we’re watching his vision closely, we’re also watching to see what changes occur as he becomes better nourished and stronger. **We don’t want to jump to conclusions too soon.** ❤️

He remains in **quarantine**, completely separated from our other animals. We simply don’t know everything that may be going on with him yet, so we’re taking every precaution and closely monitoring him.

And yes… the camera is still on him. 😂

I was glued to it until about 1:00–1:30 this morning, then back up at 6:00 to check on him. When you bring in a little one who is this sick, you watch. And you watch some more. ❤️

For now, **things look good.** We’re going to keep taking it one step at a time, keep him comfortable, keep him monitored, and see what tonight brings.

Thank you to everyone who has been following along, asking about him, and cheering him on. 🦊❤️

**One night at a time. One little fox at a time.**

**this was after getting the fox into a clean cage but you can see all the dead skin stuff on his blanket.

09/05/2026

🐦💙 SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT: The “Carol of the Birds” Memorial Scholarship 💙🐦

Some legacies are measured not only by the lives we touched, but by the work we inspire others to continue.

The “Carol of the Birds” Memorial Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Carol Craig, a devoted wildlife rehabilitator whose commitment to wildlife spanned more than four decades.

Beginning her rehabilitation journey in the 1980s, Carol dedicated her life to the care, rehabilitation, education, and advocacy of wildlife—with a special passion for songbirds. Throughout her career, she earned numerous New York State and Federal wildlife rehabilitation and educational licenses.

This scholarship was created to carry that passion forward. 🐦

The Carol of the Birds Memorial Scholarship supports individuals who are passionate about avian rehabilitation and who wish to begin or further their education, training, or hands-on experience in the field of bird rehabilitation.

🌿 IMPORTANT: While this scholarship has a special focus on avian rehabilitation, ALL of the general NYSWRC conference scholarship eligibility requirements apply. Applicants must meet the NYSWRC membership and licensing requirements, complete the online application, provide all requested information, attend all three days of the conference, and fulfill all other scholarship requirements.

Carol’s dedication to songbirds continues through this opportunity to help others gain the knowledge, training, and experience needed to care for the birds in their own communities.

🐦 Her work continues through those who follow.
💙 Her love for birds continues through those who care for them.
🌿 Her legacy continues through this scholarship.

📅 Applications are accepted September 1 – October 15.

If avian rehabilitation is your passion and you meet the NYSWRC scholarship requirements, we encourage you to apply and help carry Carol’s legacy forward.

Learn more and apply through the NYSWRC website.

09/05/2026

🦊 **Tonight’s fox rescue**

At 8:26 tonight, we received a call about a fox that had been spotted about a month ago with mange. Tonight, he was back—and this time, he was not doing well.

He was extremely thin and emaciated, weak, stumbling, and showing very obvious signs of mange. He looked like a fox who was running out of time.

My daughter, one of our wildlife assistants, went with me, and we headed up to see if we could get him.

We found him and worked for quite a while trying to capture him. I was able to get the net over him, but he made it into a thicket and managed to scoot underneath some logs, slipping right out.

So we set a trap.

The homeowners were kind enough to keep watch over it. Not long after we got home, the fox returned—but instead of going to where we had placed the trap, he went back to an area where the homeowners had recently put food.

I had a feeling he would.

So, back up we went. This time my husband came along. We moved the trap to the new location, added more food, and got everything set again.

We saw him, but he wouldn't come anywhere near us or the trap.

So we left and went home to take care of everyone here.

A little while later, around 9:15p.m., my husband and I jumped back in the car to head up and try again.

We looked at each other and I just started laughing.

There we were—it's completely dark outside, we're both wearing headlamps, flashlights in hand, dressed in our finest **“yucky wildlife rehab clothes”** because we're about to go tromping through who knows what and who knows where.

I looked at him and said, **“Oh, there's a Friday night for a rehabber.”** 😂

And honestly… it really was.

Later, around 9:30, we went back to check the trap.

And there he was.

**He was in the trap.** ❤️

We were finally able to bring him to our site.

He's now safely with us and has had his initial physical examination. He's very tolerant of handling, although I'm sure he's had more than enough of me checking him over tonight.

He's received pain medication and topical Bravecto. Since we know he's been eating, we offered him water and soft food. Chewing is clearly difficult for him right now, so soft food is much easier for him to manage.

For tonight, we're letting him decompress.

He's quiet and settled. He has a sound machine going, a camera on him, and a safe, comfortable space where he can finally rest.

We don't know yet if this fox is a he or a she, and we don't know what the next few days will bring.

But tonight, **he is safe.**

Sometimes wildlife rehabilitation isn't a dramatic rescue.

Sometimes it's going back.

And going back again.

Moving the trap.

Trying a different location.

Waiting.

And trying one more time.

Because sometimes an animal doesn't have many chances left.

Tonight, we got one.

And we weren't going to waste it. 🦊❤️

**Rest now, little one. You’re safe. We’ll take it from here.**

— For The Love Of Finn

And a huge thank you to Kim and her husband for calling and working with us to get this one help.

09/04/2026

💔 **Not every rescue story has the ending you hope for...**

This little cottontail bunny had an unfortunate encounter with a lawn mower. We picked him up at 2:45 this afternoon, and by the time he arrived, his breathing had become very infrequent and his abdomen was swollen. Within 10 minutes, he passed away.

It’s never easy to lose an animal, especially one we had hoped we could help. But sometimes our role as wildlife rehabilitators isn’t to save a life—it’s to provide a **soft landing place**.

A quiet, safe, compassionate place where an animal who is suffering doesn’t have to face the end alone.

We wish we could save them all. We can’t. But we can make sure that, when the time comes, they are warm, peaceful, and cared for. ❤️

Thankful to Elmira Animal Control for reaching out to us and holding this little one until we could get there.

*picture was taken before the bunny came into my care.

09/03/2026

🦝 Raccoons Looking for a Home 🦝

Right now, we have:

A group of 4 raccoons ready for release. They are fully vaccinated and ready to take those next steps!!

We are looking for suitable properties in Chemung County in NY.

We do NOT want to release wildlife into an area that already has a large population of raccoons. Adding more animals to an already crowded ecosystem isn't healthy for the wildlife, the environment, or the community. Our goal is always to find the right placement where everyone has the best chance to thrive.

🌿 Ideally, the property would have:
• Natural habitat and cover
• A water source nearby
• Enough space for the animals to establish themselves
• An area where they can be released away from your home

Not sure if your property would be a good fit? **That's okay!** Reach out and let's talk. We can ask questions, learn more about your property, and determine together whether it might be the right placement.

So if you may have property that could be a good fit, we'd love to hear from you!

📱 **Text:** 607-215-2124
📧 **Email:** [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Finding the right release location is just as important as getting these animals healthy and ready for the wild. We want to give them the best possible chance at the life they were meant to live. ❤️🌿🦝

It takes a village and I am counting on you guys to help us find a spot. 💕

09/02/2026

08/31/2026

Tomorrow is the big day - registration opens for our 2026 conference tomorrow at 8 AM! We are so excited to welcome everyone to our conference this year, November 12-15, at the Windrose on Hudson in Ossining, NY.

https://www.nyswrc.org/conference-info

Join us for a full four-day conference packed with lectures form expert speakers, networking, hands-on labs, workshops, field-trips, community building, our infamous banquet with a silent auction and raffle, veterinary session, RVS licensing course, vendors, informational tables, daily meals, and so much more!

Register early before prices go up! Meal purchases must be made before October 15. Specialty pre-registration classes and workshops will fill up quickly. Full conference price represents access to all content for the full four days (meals and accommodations must be purchased separately). Scholarship applications will open tomorrow, September 1, as well! https://www.nyswrc.org/scholarships-grants

Full, tentative, schedule of classes will be released September 14.