Regulations sometimes lead to tough decisions
One thing most people will agree on is that the Wood River Valley is partial to animals. Many residents have not just one pet, but multiple pets. Some might even argue that some pets are treated better than humans in the Valley. But what happens when we come across an animal in the wild – more specifically, an injured animal in the wild? What should we do? And what resources are out there?
“When you find an injured animal, the protocol is to call Idaho Fish and Game,” said Josh Royce, regional conservation officer for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game office in the Magic Valley. “It depends on the circumstances, and each situation is different and fact-dependent. Our staff will do what’s most appropriate for the animal and the situation.”
While Fish and Game protocol was initially followed by a Ketchum resident, who found an injured fox in the Warm Springs area in late February, he took matters into his own hands when he didn’t think the department was moving as quickly as it should to help the animal.
Michael Kane initially emailed Fish and Game headquarters through the department’s website. He had not received a response for over a week and a half, and when a reply came, he was told to contact the Fish and Game regional office.
By the time the response came, though, Kane had already gotten in touch with Stephanie Hendrix through postings about the fox on social media. Hendrix, who lives in the Wendell area, is an animal “rehabber.” She used to rehabilitate fur animals in California, and is now licensed to rehabilitate raptors in Idaho.
Working together, Kane and Hendrix trapped the fox in a metal cage, transported it to the Wendell area and began treating it. The fox was suffering from mange, a parasitic infection that is often fatal to an untreated, infected animal.
Mange, which can infect foxes, coyotes and other canines, is caused by a mite that burrows into the skin. It is highly contagious but can be treated with various medicines that kill the mites.
While treatment was underway, Hendrix contacted Fish and Game and spoke to an officer who told her that there were no fur animal rehabbers the area. However, Hendrix searched online and found Toni Hicks, who has been licensed by Fish and Game since 1987 as a wildlife rehabber from Boise. Hendrix contacted Hicks, who agreed to help with the fox, but before Hicks had the opportunity, Hendrix was contacted by Fish and Game’s Royce who told her that they were sending someone to her home to get the fox.
Hendrix reported that an officer came out and took the animal, evaluated it, and then had it put to death.
Royce offered an explanation of Fish and Game’s perspective of the situation.
“When this fox was trapped and picked up, it was in violation of Idaho law,” Royce said. “The decision to euthanize the fox was based on expediency and the nature of the ailment. In general, we just don’t treat fox with mange. It’s extremely difficult to treat in the long run and the fox population in the Wood River Valley is about 10 percent of what it used to be because of mange.
“The population gets high and then the population crashes, and mange is the reason for the crash,” Royce said. “Our primary objective is to manage the species to protect the population as a whole. And we certainly don’t want to move mange to another area. Mange comes and goes and ebbs and flows.While you may have some improvement in the short-term, you can’t guarantee you’ve removed it in the long-term. You re-release the animal, return it to the population from which it came, and when you do that with an animal that still could have this disease.”
When asked why Royce told Hendrix that there were no fur rehabbers in the area, Royce said that Hicks is in the Boise region of Fish and Game, not the Magic Valley region, and that they don’t like to move sick animals to other regions for fear of spreading mange to other areas that might not be affected.
Hendrix said the fact that the fox was put to death was upsetting.
“If an animal is sick and needs to be killed, I understand. It was just heartbreaking because the fox was getting better,” she said. “I wish there were more resources out there to help out with these types of situations.”
Royce said that people may “see a baby animal alone and think we need to help, but many times the animal’s parents are trying to draw the predators away from their young. The best thing in the world is leave the critters be. It’s the best thing we can do for these animals, sick or otherwise.”
INJURED WILDLIFE
Injured wildlife found in the Magic Valley or Wood River Valley areas should be reported to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game regional office in Jerome at (208) 324-4359. Assistance might also be available at www.idahowildliferescue.org.