A Close Call

You know that we recently acquired two fish and that we are already have a dog and a cat?  Thankfully our local Humane Society helped us out or we would have been home to a baby crow.  Before you say, "ahhhhh, how cute, a baby bird" listen to this:

After a very long day at work on Thursday the kids and I arrived home to settle into the routines of homework, dinner, baths and other such evening chores.  As we climbed from the car, my youngest blurted out, "ahhhhh, how cute, a baby bird" (sound familiar?)  At first, I didn't think it was a common bird.  The thing was huge!  The sound of his cries instantly broke my heart.  Obviously his wing was broken and with it extended at such an awkward angle it was over twelve inches long.  The beak was a mottled blackish brown and his baby plumage was black, blue and white.  We waited to see if his parents were in sight, but eventually we had to find a box in the garage and nestle it gently in with some grass.

En route to the animal shelter I called to see if they'd even take Pickles (yep, in those few minute he had been named;  rather aptly too, as he had been in quite a pickle when we found him.  I was assured the vet would be ready the moment we arrived.  I fought rush hour traffic with focused determination.  The three of us hurried from the car and into the vestibule of the Kitchener Human Society, Pickles held tightly in his ice cream sandwich box.  The vet was very kind and whisked Pickles into the medical centre as I provided the necessary info to the intake nurse.  It was heartwarming to see so many people dedicated to the care of animals.  We left the centre, my children disappointed that Pickles would not make his home with us, but clear in their understanding that he was going to be well cared for and then released when he was strong enough.

I'm sure you'll understand my relief that our animal count remains at 4, for the moment anyway.  This afternoon my little guy was walking around the backyard with a toad clenched in his grubby little hand.  I'm almost positive he left it outside...