Turtle Abduction

This turtle was taken from the forest by a child who wanted to keep him as a pet. Eventually, the child got bored, and the turtle was brought to us. This occurs frequently. Most people do not realize it is illegal to keep wildlife without a permit. Beyond that, it is very stressful for turtles to be removed from their native environment. Turtles require more care than most people realize and often develop conditions in captivity that require veterinarian attention. Please, please do not take wildlife home and force them to become pets! They're happiest when living as nature intended. This turtle hung out in Michelle's turtle pond for a while and was then released back into the forest where he belongs.

Just Cruisin'

This is an adoption success story! This sweet little guinea pig was adopted from us. She is named Tootsie and lives with her roommate Somebody. When they're not snuggling in their igloo together, Tootsie and Somebody enjoy going for rides in their Barbie Jeep! We thought this was too cute not to share!

A Sad Story

While a good deal of our stories are positive, we do have some sad endings. This fox touched our hearts, and we wanted to share his story. Michelle received a call from the police when this baby was hit by a car. She rushed out, picked him up, and got him to the vet. Unfortunately, she learned he had distemper. (Distemper is a virus that is often fatal.) The distemper, along with his injuries from the accident, prompted us to have him humanely euthanized. This was a very difficult decision, but we feel it was the most compassionate choice to make.

She Won't Eat

This snake was surrendered to a shelter because she wouldn't eat. The owner asked that it be euthanized. Luckily, the kennel manager at the shelter contacted us. Michelle picked up the snake and could tell right away what was wrong. Burn marks were running down 70% of her body! A lot of people don't realize that the lights and heat should not be on the inside of the aquarium. After vet care and some TLC from Michelle, she started eating and is now doing wonderfully! In the process of her recovery, she won Michelle's heart and still resides with her to this day!

Too Much Trouble

These baby cockatiels were brought to us by someone who had decided she wanted to breed birds. When she discovered how much work it is, she decided to surrender these babies to us. They were hand-raised by Michelle until they went to our bird specialist, Mary, for foster. They have all since been adopted!

A Rare Sight

These are pictures of a baby bat that Michelle rehabbed. It is only a few days old. Most people don't get the opportunity to see a bat this young. She was able to successfully raise this baby and release it back to its native habitat.

The Souvenir

This turtle was minding his own business in North Carolina when someone decided to make a souvenir out of him. They brought him home to Indiana and then decided they didn't want him. Currently, he is residing with Michelle (she has a special permit to keep him) and has been part of a few education programs. If you attended the education program at our last fundraiser, you had the pleasure of meeting this guy!

When To Rescue

Someone saw this baby beaver with her mother, who was deceased, and decided to leave her. After thinking about it for a couple days, the person decided the baby probably did need to be rescued, so we were contacted. Unfortunately, this baby didn't survive. Had we gotten to her sooner, she would've had a better chance. It can be difficult to know when and when not to "rescue" an animal. Please click here for a document of do's and don'ts for orphaned or injured wildlife. You never know when you may be in the situation to make this decision, so please take a few minutes to read through or print the document off for future reference!

Let Me Grow

This iguana was surrendered by his owner. He was 18 years old and should've been about six feet long. However, because he was kept in a small, 20-gallon aquarium, he only grew to 2 1/2 feet. Sadly, he was purposely kept in that small aquarium in order to stunt his growth. This is really hard on the animal medically. This guy passed away shortly after coming into our rescue. Please don't hesitate to contact us, if you have any questions regarding proper care for animals! We are always here to help!

Abandoned

The poor rabbit you see in this picture was left behind with his owner's roommate when his owner moved. She was supposed to come back to get him but never did. After three months, the roommate contacted us and brought him in. As you can see from the pictures, he was a mess and needed a lot of basic grooming and care. While we know the picture is difficult to see, we want people to realize how bad things can get when an animal is not properly cared for. Fortunately, we were able to clean him up, get him some vet care, and find him a loving home!

Injured Coyote

This poor boy came to us from Indianapolis Animal Care and Control. He was found stuck on a barbed wire fence he had tried to jump. After several days of TLC with one of our licensed rehabilitators, his wounds were healed, and he was ready to be released. Coyotes are often viewed as pests by some people, but this guy was very gentle and sweet while he was being cared for. We are happy to have played a part in saving him! A Critter's Chance believes all animals deserve a chance!