Giving up a pet is a heart wrenching decision, but sometimes there seems to be no other option. We urge anyone in that situation to try the following before bringing an animal into a shelter.

• Check with family and friends who know the pet and might have an interest in adopting it. Pets re-homed with people they already know undergo much less stress than pets who are taken to shelters 
• Ask friends, family, and coworkers to ask their friends, family and coworkers if anyone might be interested in a ready made pet. 
• Check with your veterinarian. He or she may know of someone looking for a pet. 
• Check with local breed rescues. These groups foster pets in homes while they look for permanent placement. Most have websites that are easily searched. 
• Carefully advertise and screen applicants. 
• Check Petfinder.com or other websites that allow individuals to post adoptable pets

If these don’t work, a shelter is an option but it should be your last resort. Pets who have been spoiled by family members find themselves in kennels, with strange people and animals surrounding them. Many are so scared they shut down. Others act aggressive. For some, the situation is so stressful that they become physically sick. Some animals don’t make it because they simply don’t do well in the kennel environment.

If you know where the nest is return the baby to it. Don’t worry about the birds smelling your scent on the baby and rejecting it (birds do not have a greatly developed sense of smell.) If you’re not sure where the nest might be you can make a temporary nest out of a basket or flower pot lined with grass. Place the nest where you originally found the baby. The parents will be looking for their offspring and should locate the bird if he is in their general vicinity. A small but fully feathered bird out of the nest is called a fledgling. One on the ground is probably getting his first taste of freedom under the watchful eye of parents. Leave him alone—his parents will take care of him. If the bird is injured or actually orphaned call animal control at 605-367-7000. A warm quiet box with holes in the lid is a good place to keep the baby until helps arrives.

You bet! It’s a myth that if a baby smells like people, the mom won’t take it back. She likely won’t come around when you’re there, but if you put the baby back where you found it, the mom should be able to find it again.

Mother rabbits often leave their nests during the day to forage for food. If people are around they will not return to the nest because they don’t want to lead you to their offspring. To see if Mom is actually returning here’s an easy trick. Take two long pieces of grass and place them in an X over the nest. If you come back 24 hours later and the X has been disturbed—you’ll know mom has been back.

Despite his appearance, the opossum is actually a very shy creature. He will bare his teeth and hiss when approached but that’s as aggressive as he gets. Offensive opossum bites are VERY rare. In fact his main defense is non-combative. He plays dead (hence the saying “play possum”) and can lie motionless for 20 minutes or more to pull off the ploy. As soon as danger has passed he will hurry off in search of a more private location.

Humane Society of the US www.hsus.org
South Dakota Game fish and Parks www.sdgfp.info