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Introduction
You have
heard about it, you know it is an important part of the Association,
you would like to have a go but are unsure of what is required. So
read on.
Not all people in WILVOs care for animals. One interesting way you
can help is by being on our
phone roster. It simply means being available to answer the incoming
calls from the public. Your
job is to help them find a solution for their queries. The phone is
never to be left unattended when
you’re on duty as you are the co-ordinator.
How It Works
When you are rostered onto the phone service our 5441 6200 number is
diverted to your phone
number. There is no cost to you on receiving these calls. This does
not interfere with your normal
phone number, but a short beep as you pick up the phone lets you
know it is a wildlife call. So you
can answer:
“Hello Wildlife Volunteers, this is (your name), how can I help
you?”
You may be able to deal with a lot of the problems yourself with
your knowledge and experience,
however often it is a case of referring the caller to the nearest
carer listed on the Phone Roster
Contact list which is supplied to you when you volunteer to assist
with the rescue phone service.
This Phone Roster Contact list is updated regularly by the
membership secretary. If there are any
changes to your details please call her (see your Species List). We
also ask that phone roster
volunteers notify the phone roster secretary if they are going to be
away over a certain period of
time, or are unavailable. It is very important to the Association
that the phone service operates efficiently and avoids the constant frustration that can be
experienced by members of the public
dialing through on a phone that is not answered.
Sometimes people get a little frustrated in an emergency situation.
There will be occasions when
you, yourself, will need to contact the nearest carer if the
incoming call is from a public phone, an
elderly person, someone from their workplace who is restricted as to
outgoing phone use or a
member of the public who is fed up trying to obtain help for the
animal in need.
Those instances are left to your own discretion. If a carer cannot
be contacted immediately, or if it
is late at night, suggest that a bird be kept quiet and warm
overnight in a cardboard box (large enough) with air holes and
dropped off at the nearest vet the next day, any expenses will be
met by
us. Always ask that the box be written on with the exact location
where the bird or animal was
found so it can be returned to its territory. For all other animals
please refer to your WILVOs
Immediate Care Procedures.
Be sure to advise the caller not to put food or water into the
carton. Placing a water container in a
carton could cause it to be tipped over and the bird is then wet and
cold. If necessary a little water
may be dropped on the end of the birds beak, but allow the bird to
decide for itself if it is going to
take it up.
Refer any enquiry you don’t feel confident about to one of the
members listed on the Species List
or ring them yourself.
Most people are pleasant when you explain we are a voluntary group
and trying your best to help.
Here are some
handy tips:
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Smile
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Always be polite
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Remain calm
-
Don’t take abuse personally, the caller is sometimes frustrated at
the situation not at you
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Never argue with the caller
-
Sympathise with the caller, if necessary say things like “I realise
you feel frustrated but give me
your name and number and I’ll try and get some help to you.” If it
is taking some time to get
help, keep them informed as to what is going on. Reassure them that
they are not alone and
that there call is important to us.
When referring a caller on never give the full name and address of
the carer you are referring
them to. EG: “I will give you the name of two carers in your area –
Ruth on 5476 0000 and John
on 5476 3333 – give them a ring and see if they can offer help,
perhaps you could deliver the bird
to them for immediate attention – if no answer straight away the
bird will be okay in the box until
such time as you can get an answer”. Never advise the caller that
the carer will pick up the animal.
This should best be left for the carer and the caller to negotiate
in regards to how an animal will
reach the carer if needed. Tell the person ringing in to feel free
to ring back if they need more
assistance.
Also, suggest the public keep trying the numbers you’ve given them
as people may simply be out
for a while. Some people don’t realise we are volunteers.
The hours your help is required are:
A Telephone Returns sheet is supplied and it is very important to
make a record of the call. This
information is used to assist in the application of grants,
publicity purposes and in fund raising. It is
also very important to know just how many calls, about what animals
and the reason these animals
need assistance. This information is then channeled into campaigns
such as responsible pet
ownership to try to minimize the numbers of animals injured through
domestic animal attacks. It
also allows records to be analysed for potential trouble spots that
are man made traps for our
fauna. This information allows WILVOs to contact council to offer
assistance such as road signs or
speed restrictions.
An example: A few years ago reports were received about many
kangaroos being killed in a
certain area. On investigation it was found that new road
alterations were allowing the animals to
be trapped in a fenced drain when they hopped off the road. The
drain entrance had been closed
off as part of the road works. The fence was extended right around
the drain, the kangaroos were
given a way out and the problem was solved. Easy isn’t it! BUT it
would never have been resolved
if we didn’t get the information on calls from our volunteers.
If you would like to volunteer but are unsure about taking on the
job, talk to your phone roster
secretary. Arrangements can be made to have an experienced member of
the group stand by. If
you have a problem and you are unsure of how to answer a call you
can take down the details of
the problem, the callers details and contact your stand by for
instructions.
Please contact your Phone Roster Secretary if you are available to
assist with
manning the rescue phone or if you would like to know more. The
Native
Animals on the Sunshine Coast thank you for support
Wilvos Immediate Care Procedures
These are very brief notes. Your manuals provide extensive
information and species list members
are always willing to advise or refer you to someone nearby to help.
Also, your local Library provides plenty of
interesting and informative reading.
You may be contacted to assist any of the following animals. Listed
below is advice you may give
callers for immediate care procedures. Advise all callers to treat
all wildlife with utmost respect. An
injured bird, possum or macropod may seem very quiet, but may
recover enough to inflict personal
damage. A blanket or thick towel is good to place over an
animal/bird before trying to pick up. On
arrival in care, a quiet, cosy, dark environment is required, with
minimal handling.
Snakes
These are to be referred to snake handlers on the “Snake Catchers”
list.
Bats
These also are not to be handled at all, unless you have been
vaccinated for the Lyssavirus.
Immediately check your species list for experienced bat carers.
Seabirds
Refer call to a carer closest to the caller listed under the
Seabirds and Waterbirds heading on your
Species List. There are also Seabird Associations listed on Useful
Numbers that may be able to
assist.
Specialty Animals
Contact QPWS or the after hours carers as listed on your species
list. For Koalas contact QPWS,
or after hours contact details are on the Species List. There is
also an active Koala Squad for
animals in the Noosa area, numbers under Useful Numbers. For
echidnas, do not put on artificial
heat and call as per the Species List Speciality Animals.
Birds
Place in a shoe box or carton, lined with paper towel. Make sure the
box is big enough for the bird.
Cages are not suitable at this stage, as removing an injured bird
through a small door is not a
simple task, and a carton reduces the chance of feather damage. Do
not give water. Never feed
birds. Refer to the nearest carer on the phone roster contact list.
Possums/Gliders
Put young animals in a warm natural fibre (no synthetic) bag secured
at top. This can then be
placed in a mesh laundry bag used for washing ‘delicates’. That way
they can’t accidentally
escape! They should not be put into socks as their legs can get
caught in the knit material. Some
native flowers and leaves can be placed in there prior to the
animal. A carry cage, with plenty of
cloths inside, is needed for larger animals. With dead females the
pouch is to be checked for
young, usually one young with brushtails, and two young with
ringtail possums. Again call a
possum carer in the area immediately. Refer to Phone Roster Contact
list.
Kangaroos/Wallabies
With mature animals, unfortunately, the outcome usually has to be
euthanasia due to major broken
bones. Always check the pouch if the female is dead. Orphaned
animals often come from road accident victims. If the joey is very young it will be firmly
attached to the teat, and the teat may need to be cut from the mother. This isn’t as bad as it sounds – no
blood and gore – just like cutting a piece of string! Place in a cosy flannelette bag or
pillowslip and contact a macropod carer in the area immediately. Refer to phone roster contact list. Again
it is best not to attempt to feed until the animal is assessed. It is extremely important that, if
animals are cold, they not be fed until their temperature is slowly returned to normal.
Raptors
Require special care and must be handled by specialist carers refer
to your species list. In emergency situations the caller must be made aware of the talons and
beak. Veterinarians are very busy and extremely generous with their care
of our wildlife, giving their time free of charge. Of course, we must be prepared to pay for
medications. Call your vet, prior to taking in wildlife so that they may let you know what time best
suits them.
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