Original Author: Steve Willis
Last month we blogged about the amazing story of Rusty the red squirrel. Found as a tiny kitten, he was taken into the care of two phenomenally dedicated volunteers. They then passed him to the SSPCA who have recently released a healthy fully grown Rusty into the wild. Here are a few photos of him just before he was released.
A month or so ago we wrote about the journey of a very lucky little red squirrel. Found as a tiny kitten he was nursed into health by Dawn and Terry, two incredibly dedicated folks with a great deal of experience and knowledge.
Dawn and Terry sought our advice as to what to do with regards to releasing Rusty back into the wild – they were clear he was never to be a pet or to be kept in captivity. They wanted to make sure he would be ready to live free. Over the course of their time with Rusty he grew bigger and stronger, and soon it was time for them to hand Rusty over to the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) who have the expertise, infrastructure, and experience to ensure he would be given the best chance.
The SSPCA kept Rusty in a large outdoor cage, full of branches and all the right types of natural food. Here he met and interacted with other red squirrels.
Rusty at his bright-eyed and bushy-tailed best! This is taken in the outdoor pen where Rusty had lots of room to climb, build strength and get used to the outdoor environment. He also had other red squirrels for company.
Eventually the team at the SSPCA decided that Rusty was ready for release. he was transported to the garden of some SSPCA supporters who live alongside some great woods teeming with red squirrels. Their quiet, safe garden also has supplementary food for squirrels, so an animal like Rusty always has an alternative food supply.We have video of the moment Rusty was released but it is proving hard to add to the blog- please keep an eye on our Facebook page where we will post it very soon!
If you find an injured or orphaned red squirrel then contact the SSPCA Helpline on 03000999999
Huge thanks to Dawn and Terry for their hard work and dedication, and to the team at SSPCA.