Most of the time, interfering with a wild animal isn’t such a good idea. They live in nature and, as humans, it’s our job to allow nature to take its course. However, now and then, especially if you happen to live in a rural area, the chance to help one of our wild furry friends comes along. When faced with this choice, occasionally, a human can successfully intervene like the lady you are about to meet.
CANADA
Janet Talbot lives in one of those rural areas I mentioned in Alberta, Canada. She was out on her deck one morning when she saw what appeared to be a squirrel that seemed to be in pain. It seemed to her that the little guy had a messed up tooth. Whatever it was, something about the fluffy squirrel touched her heart deeply.
She decided then and there that she should try to step in and save the little guy and she named him Bucky.
Image via Animal Lives Matter Facebook
When Janet spotted Bucky on the porch that day, she saw him trying to eat. She saw something incredibly peculiar on the side of his face. As she moved closer, she noticed that he had what appeared to be an incredibly long tooth hanging out of his mouth.
Bucky’s tooth was so long that it was nearly poking his little eye out.
OH, THE TEETH!
Like all rodents, a squirrel’s teeth never stop growing. Ordinarily, since rodents are continually gnawing on things, their steadily growing teeth stay the correct size from the regular wear. Something must have happened to Bucky, though, because it wasn’t working out that way for him.
Poor Janet worried so much for the little guy; it kept her up at night.
Finally, the time came, and she was able to snatch him up when he was hanging out in her bird feeder one day. When she finally got a closer look, she realized Bucky’s entire mouth was absolutely full of overgrown teeth.
Image via Animal Lives Matter Facebook
HE WAS A MESS
“His mouth was an absolute mess,” said Janet. “His upper incisors were curled around and growing inside his mouth. When he ate, his teeth were rubbing on his face. He was so horrific.”
Janet opted against taking Bucky to a vet. She knew they probably would not treat a wild animal. Instead, she did some digging of her own and found that, unlike humans, squirrels don’t have any nerves or feeling in their teeth. She realized she could help Bucky on her own.
“Then I got my trimmers, swaddled him and went to work,” Janet said. “it took under 10 minutes. He was totally relaxed the whole time. It was kind of serious dentistry, but he was such a good patient.”
THANK YOU
Thanks to Janet’s quick thinking, Bucky has a whole new set of teeth and a new lease on life. The best part? After she released Bucky back into the wild, he ran to a tree and started to inspect his new face. She saw him the very next day, as well. He was back on her property looking as happy and healthy as ever.
Janet hopes that her and Bucky’s story will prompt others to help animals in need, as well.
Have you ever saved a wild animal? Tell us about it in the comments.
Featured Images via Animal Lives Matter Facebook
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