Baby squirrels' foster mom has charges dropped

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2016/02/charges_against_nj_woman_who_nurtured_baby_squirre.html

By MaryAnn Spoto

HOWELL — Charges against a Howell woman who rehabilitated two abandoned baby squirrels were dismissed on Wednesday morning after a judge found she was accused under the wrong statute.

Maria Vaccarella faced up to $500 in fines for taking in a pair of baby squirrels abandoned by their mother, but Municipal Court Judge James Newman said the summons she was issued didn't match the statute she was charged with violating.

"I would definitely save a life again," Vaccarella said happily after court in Howell Township. " A life is a life."

As her trial was expected to start, Newman explained that attorneys in the case had conferenced for about 30 minutes to discuss how to proceed.

FULL story, video, and photos at link. Petition page: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/264/027/841/unfair-prosecution-for-being-compassionate-toward-baby-animals-/?z00m=27322912&redirectID=1955887127

[HassleCat]

1. Happened to me

When I was a kid, I was visiting cousins and two baby squirrels came down from a tree and approached us. Their mother had been run over by a car, and they were hungry. We fed them kitten milk replacer, and they grew up to be absolute terrors. They jumped on people, teased the dogs, stole food from picnics, etc.

[X_Digger]

2. There are numerous reasons that wildlife rehabilitators are trained and licensed.

But hey, if it all works out all right in this one particular case, what's the problem, right?

[Mariana]

4. She contacted a wildlife rehabilitator.

"When the mother squirrel abandoned her babies, Maria waited 24 hours before intervening. She fed them and contacted a wildlife rehabilitator who told her to hold on to the baby squirrels until May."

What, exactly, do you think she should have done differently?

[LisaL]

6. What are those reasons?

This woman obviously managed to save the squirrels. To charge her for saving the squirrels is ludicrous.

[X_Digger]

7. 1) public safety. 2) the health of rescued animals. 3) safety/health of wild stocks (if released).

What, you think it's A-OK for anyone to just pick up any wild animal?

[LisaL]

8. She saved squirrels, not some dangerous animal.

Furthermore, number of licensed wild life rehabillitators dwindled in recent years due to all the regulations. A licensed rehabillitator told her to keep those squirrels because there was no room for them in the licensed place.

[X_Digger]

9. Then she should step up and take the class (it's usually free / minimal cost, depending on state.)

There, they'll teach her about the signs of rabies, tularemia, mange, ringworm, leptospirosis, etc; how to deal with things that animals can pass to us and our pets (are your other pets vaccinated against lassa fever?), things that we can pass to wild animals (that may then decimate wild animal populations.)

What, you think that if there's no wildlife rehabilitator around, then the rules shouldn't apply? Like if there's not a cop around, speeding's cool?

What do you think the rules are in place for? Just to get in the way of kind-hearted people? Was it Senator Grinch who proposed the rules in the first place, just out of spite?

[LisaL]

10. Well I guess she should have left the squirrels to die.

Considering she found them before she took any such class. Do you think they would have survived while she was out taking classes?
By the way here is a real cute story about Polish man and his pet squirrel. Surprisingly nobody came to arrest him.
Oh the horror, the horror!

http://wtvr.com/2016/02/11/man-nurses-baby-squirrel-back-to-health/

[X_Digger]

11. Answer my question. Why are the rules there? Do you know? n/t

[LisaL]

12. Judge followed the rules and dismissed the case.

So not sure what is you complaint here.

[X_Digger]

13. It's a simple question. Do you know why the rules are in place? n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. good!

[Donkees]

5. I've raised a few of those naked baby squirrels myself :)