Amazing skunk man? Whattt? And what makes him so… amazing? Today I met this guy and heard – first hand-about his one man rescue service. 103 skunks. Yes, 103 black and whites have been moved to new locations over the past 4 years. One where they will be safe and can start a new life. Sort of like Skunk Witness Protection.
Who is this guy? Twinkly eyes, medium frame, super sweet face and a warm smile. Put a temperature gauge on that smile and I bet you’d hit at least 110 degrees. Disarming. Charming. And kind. Today we sat down for an interview. I dove right in by asking why did he rescue skunks? Poo kitties-as they are sometimes known— are not the usual winner in a popularity contest. Any popularity contest. Drive up in a vehicle that has recently hit a skunk, and everyone will move their car and slink away from the driver. Because he or she will also sort of stink of skunk. So… why did Mr. Kind Heart save the skunks? Because. Drum roll here. They were the most objectionable of all the animals they helped. Feral cats could be captured, neutered or spayed and returned to the wild, raccoons were smart and funny, sly foxes worth a laugh, snouty possums were like mini Dino’s, but… skunks were just plain unloveable. And Jezze Louise. The smell. That was the deal breaker. Mr Kind Heart and his wife feed the local wildlife. Twice daily. And Housing is available on an as needed basis for all comers. They were happy with everyone of their visitors. Except the skunks.
How to capture a skunk? Evidently skunks-especially young and inexperienced skunks-really do believe there is such a thing as a free lunch. Which means a can of wet food and some dry kibble on a plate can lure Mr. or Ms. skunk into a Have a Heart Cage. Once in and eating the free lunch the door snaps down and the real adventure begins. The cage-pre wrapped in a heavy duty plastic trash bag-with a second bag over the now closed opening, is sealed and loaded in a vehicle for transport to a site about 5 miles away. Once in the new location-close to a lake-the skunk is released. What is amazing is Mr. Kind Heart has only been stink bombed half a dozen times. Which is a fantastically low percentage for that many skunks. Oh, and the most captured in one night: 4 skunks, and one of those captures was a towfer!
Question number two. Why capture and release? Well, it turns out capturing wild animals is illegal and Mr. kind Heart could be fined- a significant fine- for relocating wild animals. But the alternative to his rescuing is calling Animal Control. And…Animal Control would capture and euthanize the stinkers. Not… a big skunk adoption market. Moving them to a new location is a way to save the little buggers.
I picture their yard at night. Moonlight glinting off a fast trotting fox, a lumbering raccoon, several feral cats, a slow moving possum. But… no big fights. Food bowls- separated by a reasonable distance- eliminate the need to battle, and it is possible to see a fox, possum, raccoon and cat all in the same general area . Each eating his or her meal with one eye on the bowl and the other peeled on a neighbor. Not a lot of inter species fighting, and most real fights are between siblings…. Which seems so…human.
I grew up around animals. At one point we had four horses, four dogs, 13 cats, two ducks, two goats, a Holstein heifer, 14 chickens, two pigs, and a old lab white rat. Animals were part of the family, and I absolutely understand the need to care, protect and love them. I think that is why I wrote about the man who saves skunks. He represents the best of humanity. Caring for those in need. In a wise way.