By Karen Martin
Lifestyles Editor
lifestyles@elkintribune.com

Wildlife Rescue is available in Wilkes County through a Traphill resident. Last fall Bonnie Luttenbacher attended Surry Community College to receive her Wildlife Rehab License. Luttenbacher's love of animals and the wildlife surrounding her woodland home prompted her to action.

"It's like being a mother all over again," Luttenbacher said. "You have to get up at 2 a.m., feed and change the babies and treat them with tender loving care."

Wild animal babies are brought to Luttenbacher by people from all walks of life. Babies are found by hay mowers, logging companies and people who take notice of nature. Luttenbacher herself will stop and check the pouch of an opossum that has been hit and is lying on the road.

"I had a couple call me after 10 p.m. one night from Pilot Mountain with babies that had been rescued," Luttenbacher said. "The couple agreed to meet me half way of the distance in Elkin. My husband and I went to pick up the babies. He is my right hand.

I depend on him to help with the care of the animals and just like children, they can't be left alone. One of us is always with them."

This month Luttenbacher presented two programs at Stone Mountain Park describing the rescue and care of wild animals. The first class was presented to a scout troop and the campers in residence at the park and the next weeks class was presented at the foot of the mountain.

"Around 150 people stopped by the program at the foot of the mountain," Luttenbacher said. "People were very interested to see the animals and gain a perspective on their care and plight in the wild. One visitor to my class said that opossums are 'Nature's Janitor's'. There was a lady who said her whole idea of opossums had been changed."

Most of the animals brought to Luttenbacher are babies who have been abandoned by their mothers, orphaned or hurt. Sometimes Luttenbacher receives animals that have been injured or are sick.

"A wild animal that has been injured needs special care. Cleaning the area, keeping the animal warm and calm and providing good nutrition is the basic care. There are a few times when an animal needs to be seen by a veterinarian, but wild animals do not respond well to antibiotics. It contradicts their digestive system and can cause more harm to the animal than immediate good. Cat bites cause some of the worst infections wild animals can get."

Luttenbacher has a regiment with the wild animals to provide the kind of nutrition they need to have a good start in life. A wild baby squirrel can usually be released within four months. Luttenbacher has approximately 106 acres of woodland around her home where she releases the animals back to the wild.

"The focus of the rescue program is to Rescue, Rehab and Release, Luttenbacher said. "I try to leave my name and contact information at the veterinarian offices and pet stores. Someone who finds an injured animal or animal babies can call me for rescue. The heat and drought this year has made it extremely hard for wild babies to survive."

Luttenbacher moved to Wilkes County nine years ago. Her lifelong love of animals prompted her to study for her license.

"The babies are a labor of love," Luttenbacher said. "The babies are kept in ten gallon aquariums with heating pads while they are being nursed, feed by syringe, and are moved to outside cages when strong enough. There the babies can acclimate to the weather and the sounds and smells of the outdoors. When they are healthy, they are released back into the wild."

Luttenbacher does not allow visitors to the facility. She does offer programs, with age appropriate animal participation, to schools, scouts and any group that would like to learn more about the rescue of wild animals.

"We aren't a petting zoo so we can't allow the animals to be handled, Luttenbacher said. "This is for the animals protection. They learn to know and trust us, but we have to distance our contact as they grow stronger in order to allow them to remain wild. They trust us with their lives and we have to protect them. It's a very humbling and loving experience to be a part of their lives and to help keep them alive. Being needed is wonderful."

To reach Bonnie Lutenbacher for rescue of a wild animal contact her at 336-957-8508. The rescue operation runs on donations only and is in need of additional funds. Donations can be made to Animal Rescue in Traphill, NC.

In North Carolina to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals, you need to be licensed. A class will be offered again in September at Surry Community College by Linda Harris of Dobson, as the instructor. Contact the college or Harris at 336-756-1021 for more information.