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Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

Wildlife Rehabilitator

Real-Life Activities

Real-Life Communication -- Solution

First, since the couple is very angry, you will want to talk calmly and quietly. Acknowledge their anger and them you understand how they must be feeling.

Then tell them something like the following:

  1. Explain that the wildlife rehabilitators do not like killing animals, and that it distresses everyone when a healthy animal must be euthanized.
  2. Explain that if the bird had been released, it would not have been able to fly. Therefore, it would have starved to death or been attacked by a cat or other predator.
  3. Explain that a crow would not enjoy life if it were kept in a cage. Ask the couple to imagine being placed in a small cage where they could see outside but could never go outside. They could see their friends but never join them. Tell them they would not have TV, music, books, computers or any of the things that entertain us. Ask them how they would feel. Ask them if they would be bored, lonely and depressed in that situation.
  4. Explain to the couple that crows and other wild animals see humans as predictors. When we cage a wild animal, the animal possibly spends its entire life being afraid that we are going to eat it.

"We deal with the public in person, by phone, by e-mail and by letters. We help resolve conflicts and we give information," says Corrie Hines, a wildlife rehabilitator. "We use communication skills all the time -- both internally and externally."