Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Cassidy.
Hi Julie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I became involved with the DFW Wildlife Coalition hotline in approximately 2010, after one of my dogs came out out of the bushes with a small opossum in her mouth. I was able to reach out to a Wildlife rehabilitator, who was also affiliated with the Hotline, the rehabilitator checked over the opossum and guided me on taking care of it (diet,etc) until release and recommended volunteering for the hotline. After this, I obtained training to start volunteering on the Hotline. I became a wildlife rehabilitator after answering a hotline call regarding a dog killing a mother opossum, and the babies were orphaned, and unfortunately all rehabilitators were unavailable or full. I then went over and took on these babies and became sub-permitted under Prudi Koeninger, one of the founders of the DFW Wildlife Coalition Hotline.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wish! I think anytime you are involved doing anything compassionate it is never easy. As a rehabilitator, you have to deal with the good and the bad. The good being you raise baby Wildlife to the point of releasing it back into the wild, or if you have treated an injured animal and are able to release it. The bad part is having to make the decision to euthanize an animal that is so badly injured -or- dealing with certain people in the public who do not want to coexist with Wildlife.
Sometimes we are fortunate and able to convince people to do the right thing, but there’s always that small percentage that will not listen and do not care about the animal.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Learning from other Rehabilitators who have been rehabbing for a long time and have learned through trial and error.
Also, there are some amazing people out there in the community who want to do right by our wildlife particularly the wildlife trying to survive in our city green spaces that are becoming smaller and smaller.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Dfw wildlife coalition
- Facebook: Dfwwildlife hotline
