He showed me a big jump when I entered their facility. Cool!

Nancy and Gunther Golinia run this rehab shelter. As Chairman of the Wildlife Shelter Board, Tobbi Gjelsvik helps with many things as well as publication and fund raising. The Golinias have been working this shelter for 18 years. Although they are in their 70's still vigorously work to help animals everyday. It is non stop working. The operation of the facility is supported by donations and Golinia's own finances. Also some volunteers are giving their skills to improve the condition of this shelter. For instance, one professional tree faller helped them to cut down trees to extend their facility site.

Although it is a wildlife shelter, they also accept pets such as Budgies, Chinchilla, Rabbits, Turtles, Guinea pigs, etc. At this moment, the shelter accommodates Bald Eagles, Owls, Grouse, Ducks, Deer, and a large variety of others.

They can not always afford a veterinarian. So Nancy learned special knowledge of animal care by herself and do procedure by herself in this lab.

The volunteers can not help everything.

Sometimes many volunteers get together for a few hours to help get some jobs done. That is helpful for Nancy and Gunther, especially the heavy ditch digging jobs, and moving sand and gravel. After the volunteers leave, it is much easier for them to finish the lighter work and get the project finished.

The animals recognise and are nervous to the strangers, so all the rehabilitation is done only by Nancy and Gunther. By getting wildlife into a pattern of feeding, medicating etc with the same people, they are much more relaxed and responsive to treatment. Years of experience have shown this to be effective, and they work for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by working in shifts. So it is really difficult to take over the jobs by anybody else. With Gunther and Nancy it is a labour of love and commitment.

Nancy and Gunther use their house and the back yard as the shelter. Wooden chips are laid underneath of this beautiful grass. It is like a thick blanket.

This is the facility for the Bald Eagles. Can you see the beam is twisted? That was damaged by the snow storm last winter.

The Eagles show this expression when they are nervous, or it is hot. The feather on the head turn to be white when the Eagles become 5 years old.

His legs are deformed by eating pesticide mice.

The owl's diet is mice only. They eat 4 mice everyday. He cannot hunt by himself anymore with his disability.

The First Rescue

One of the very first birds the couple rescued was a Heron. Although he was tube feed until he was well enough to eat on his own, he refused to eat. This rescued Heron was very stubborn. Nancy looked at him for a while, and said, "Let's give him a little bit of vodka". In about 10 minuets they threw him a herring, and he started eating. This was an unusual treatment, but for this bird it worked and he was released 2 weeks later.

Nancy has rescued the animals since she was a little girl. She is gifted communicating with the individual animals. One day, a Bald Eagle brought to the shelter was obviously dying. But Nancy held the Eagle and listen to him, then said, "He has the will to live." She took care of the Eagle through the night. He recovered and was released 2 months later. Amazingly, he returned 3 mornings in a row and followed her into the pen for breakfast. To willingly go back into a pen is most unusual.

Of course, there are some sad stories as well. Sometimes the injuries are so horrendous that there is no way to repair them. Although they cannot talk, you can see that the pain is so bad, they have a will to die, and the only humane thing you can do is put them to sleep.

Over the years they have released thousands and thousands of birds and animals.

Nancy tries to move the shy birds out of the bush to show us.

The young bird is hunging down from the sealing net. This body language is telling, "I'm good enough. Let me out!."

"Not yet but soon," says Nancy.

Nancy feels of the vibration of the rescued bird by putting her ear on its chest. In this way, she can connect between her frequency and the animal's one. said, "So many miracles are made by Golinia. After all, their deep love of living things can create those miracles."

At the end of the interview, I asked their favourite animals. Gunther said, "For me, it would be humming birds." Then Nancy said, "It is very difficult to name it. But probably it is Deer because they smells good."

From the left, Gunther, Nancy, and Tobbi.

Donation Please!!

This shelter is supported by the people like you. Please consult the Web Page of Prince Rupert Wildlife Rehab Shelter, (http://www.prwildlifeshelter.org).

Send your donation to Prince Rupert Branch, Canada Trust Dominion Bank, Transit Number: 9340, Account Number: 5201928、
or Call Tobbi 1-250-627-9270

or contact me, Jack the lizard, by E-mail.

The construction of the new facility was about to be finished. It will be equipped the heating system, the lighting system, the water supply. Natural light comes in through the big windows.