Human Trash InjuriesTwice this year, we have received adult squirrels caught in plastic rings from 4/pack juice containers. One adult male was caught for so long that it had penetrated the skin about a 1/4" deep all around the lower body. Infection had set in and he had to remain at the facility for 10 days. The wound was a circle around the body just about the hips. It had to be cleaned twice a day and medication administered. This was very stressful for the animal. The other squirrel was a lactating female, which meant she had babies. Luckily, the injury wasn't severe, she was treated then released the next morning so she could care for the babies. We knew exactly where she had come from with the information furnished by the rescuer. We've all heard about the danger of the plastic 6/pack holders from pop cans. The 4/pack juice plastic holders are equally as dangerous. We humans must be aware that our trash can be deadly. We must take responsibility for the impact we can have on the wild animals. CUT all plastic rings, regardless of what type of packaging they came from. Let's all take an extra second to evaluate if our trash is a danger, if so, then render it harmless immediately. These two squirrels were fortunate. These plastic rings could have been fatal to them. |