The last several Thursdays Operation Orphan has been joining the Barberton elementary schools for an afterschool ‘Animal Club’ . Fran brings in baby groundhogs, baby bunnies, and a baby squirrels and more, then talks to the kids about each. It has been one of the highlights of Fran’s week! To learn more about Operation Orphan…
During my absence, you can find other rehabilitators by visiting the Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators website at: http://owra.org/ to find someone who can help you. If the animal is injured, you can also seek out help from Metropolitan Vet Hospital for sick and injured wildlife. https://www.metropolitanvet.com/. Educating the public about wildlife is an important part of…
It may be snowing and freezing temperatures outside but our wildlife animals are busy making babies and they will be born SOON! Last year babies started showing up as early as February with OOWR taking in OVER 1000 wildlife babies. This year we are looking for an extra busy year due to many facilities still…
While Fran Kitchen is busy feeding and caring for all the babies we thought you might enjoy some highlights from this summer’s various display programs that she did.
In the late ’80s, my husband, Ron, and I came home from a Memorial Day camping trip. I was tired after unloading the camper, so I went upstairs for an early soak in the bathtub. After getting into my night clothes I had my mind all set for a quiet, relaxing evening. Anyone that knows…
The following was originally posted back in 2018 but bares repeating during this time of year. Please share and help me educate people on this time of year. – Fran The two ducklings in the photo were brought to me after they were found behind a motel where someone had recently dumped them. They were…
My heart is touched by the generosity of people at this hard, stressful and trying time. Operation Orphan can only exist by donations and YOU came thru for the animals. Thank you to each person that sent a check in the mail or ordered items from Amazon Smiles to help us out. Your donations make…
In 2019 Fran took in OVER 900 animals. She currently takes care of three counties, Portage, Wayne and her own county, Summit. You may have seen the notice we posted last week that there was a rumor going around that Fran was dead, had cancer and not taking in wildlife anymore. As we mentioned, THIS…
With baby season in full swing, I’ve been getting a lot of calls about baby raccoon, an animal that I can not longer take in. In the past I was allowed to raise raccoons and release them back into the wild. However, for the last several years 15 Ohio Counties, Stark and have imposed rules that…
It happens every year, I get animals tied up in fishing line, string or ribbon. If you are one of the people that places cut up yarn in a suet holder for the birds to make a nest PLEASE stop. Through the years I have had many baby birds brought in that had yarn, string…
Good Morning, Everyone! Many of you know that I had some unexpected surgery before the Christmas holiday so I had to temporarily close Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation for several weeks. I apologize for any inconvenience that anyone incurred and wanted to let everyone know that as of today, February 4th, 2019, we are open once…
One warm fall afternoon, I went out to get the mail. As I looked down the street, I saw a little puppy running right down the center of Waterloo road. With the traffic that comes down this main road, I knew if I didn’t do something he was going to get hit by a car. …
I am not often left speechless but last Friday was one of those times, plus I was brought to tears and I never cry in public. Let me begin by giving a HUGE THANK YOU to each and every one of you that donated to Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc for the much-needed new trailer….
I often get asked by generous friends of Operation Orphan as to how they can help. Donations and purchases though our Amazon Wish List have been a tremendous help to me this year and I thank you very much to all that have donated. Today, I come to you with a very specific need that…
I do believe in God, prayer and yes, miracles. This past weekend I was given a miracle and I wanted to share it with all of you. Education is a very important part of my rehabilitation work so I do a lot of programs, especially in the summer months at campgrounds. Often if people just…
This week we thought you would enjoy seeing photos (and narration) from a rescue that took place back in August of 2016. It was a day when the temps hit the high 90’s, and Fran donned long pants and a flannel jacket after a home owner called Operation Orphan about a young, Blue Heron that…
Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. will be closing down both admissions and the phones from May 11th – May 25th. We are BUSTING at the seams and all of our efforts have to be on the animals currently in our care. Please go to Division of Wildlife website at http://www.owra.org and check their Rehabilitator list…
I would like to give a shout out and thank you to Donzell’s Garden Center for all their support throughout the years. It’s one of our favorite places to put on a display because we get so many people that come out, not only see the animals but to learn about how to co-exist with…
It is that time of year once again: BABY SEASON It is that time of year once again when may you see a baby animal in the wild all by itself, and your first thought may be that the baby is an orphan. However, at least 85% of baby animals seen by humans are not…
We have a new education bird here at Operation Orphan; his name is Bartholomew and he is a Barred Owl. Bartholomew got his name from the women that found him found on the side of the road in Mogadore, Ohio. He had been struck by a vehicle and his shoulder was shattered. The repair was…
Last year, a call came in that an Osprey nest had come down with three young birds. They were almost old enough to take first flight. We had gotten so much rain that the nest was saturated with water and it broke loose from its resting place in the tree. Osprey nest high in the…
It is with a heavy heart that I report that Godzilla, our educational Great Horned Owl, had to be put down. She was in her 20s and was an amazing education bird. Godzilla had spent ten years at another facility before being transferred to Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation. She was in our care for eleven…
Today I would like to share with you a special Christmas Memory that I think many of you will enjoy. It’s about Stubby, our first educational groundhog and one that I think about every Christmas season. Earlier in the spring of this particular year, a farmer was working with a backhoe when he accidentally dug…
Almost everyone likes surprises—to some degree or another. On the other hand, some are better if they never happen. This type of surprise is true of the story I am about to tell. One November evening, I was doing a program at a local assisted living facility. When the program was completed, a couple of…
It was Easter Sunday when the call came in about two baby Great Horned Owls. One baby was injured, but the other seemed all right. The woman who called said she had watched for several hours to see if a mother came in to care for the young and it was clear that no parent…
These baby Flying Squirrels were brought to Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation this week. When they arrived they were ice cold and in trouble, and they’re still not out of danger. Baby animals that have closed eyes MUST HAVE A HEAT SOURCE. That’s because when their eyes are closed they do not produce their own heat….
This week’s post is not so much a TBT but more of a look into what goes on here. As I mentioned last week, the facility is full of baby animals as we enter the fall birthing season. Right now I have well over 30 squirrels and chipmunks, a dozen opossum, a goose and one…
I have made so many memories in all of my years of wildlife work. Some of those memories are good and some are not, but they are all a big part of my life and my biggest motivators. For today’s Throwback Thursday I thought I would ramble a bit on some of those memories. My…
That’s what it is like here at Operation Orphan these days. Add some opossum and 25 baby squirrels that just came in this week. Did I mention that they all need to be handfed? Yes, folks, baby season is NOT over yet! With no time to write a TBT this week, I want to repost…
When it comes to parks, there are some important rules to follow. Many people don’t like to follow these rules; many times it’s because it is unclear to them why these rules exist. Or maybe they don’t even know these rules exist! Here are a couple of important rules that parks have in place to…