ANIMAL rescue organisation WIRES is calling on people to help out its volunteers by contributing to its annual WIRES Food Appeal.
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The organisation is calling for donations that will ease the burden on its volunteers by assisting them in purchasing the necessary food needed to nurse young or injured native fauna back to health.
WIRES Illawarra member John Bryce and his wife Sylvia have been caring for a range of native animals through WIRES for more than a decade and said any help would be appreciated.
“We’ve been looking after animals for about the last 15 or 16 years through WIRES and it’s something we do because we love animals,” Mr Bryce said.
“It’s something that we love, but it can be a lot of work and a lot of volunteers end up reaching into their own pockets to support it so any help is really appreciated.
Mr Bryce said he and his wife were currently caring for three kangaroos, a possum and a flying fox and that animals are often cared for extended period of time.
“You’re only ever asked to do as much as you can, but sometimes you can be looking after an animal for 18 months or more.
“Birds are usually a shorter period of time, but a joey can easily be north of 18 months, they’ll come to you at 500 grams and you’ll have them till they’re 12 – 15 kilograms.”
Across Australia, WIRES has fielded around 10 000 wildlife rescue calls since August and the spring and summer months are likely to see even more calls come in. According to WIRES, a $10 donation will supply milk formula to a kangaroo joey or wombat joey for one week or a wallaby joey for two weeks and a baby ringtail possum for up to 4 months.
To donate to the WIRES Food Appeal or for more information, visit wires.org.au.