Introducing Snowball who is the newest and most adorable member of the Beachmere Op Shop for Wildlife. She is between 5-6 months old and will require full time care until she is big and strong enough to be taken to a soft release programme that other wildlife carers provide on rural properties in Queensland.
Unfortunately, Snowball’s mum was hit by a car and died, which is also what happened to the other two young Eastern Grey Kangaroos being cared for 24 hrs a day by Sally Arthur, Proprietor of the Op Shop, President of FAUNA (Foster-care of Australian Unique Native Animals) and wildlife carer extraordinaire.
Sally specialises in the care of the Eastern Grey Kangaroos because they are the most at risk species of succumbing to death from the loss of their mother and injuries unless they get special care. Other carers specialise in birds, gliders, possums, bats, wombats and koalas; the list goes on to include reptiles and other small mammals.
Currently there are approximately 25 Eastern Grey Macro-pods being cared for in the Southeast Queensland area by wildlife carers from Toowoomba, Ipswich, Esk, Kilcoy and the Caboolture/Morayfield areas.
Sally has been caring for Australian wildlife most of her life, having been brought up on a farm and seeing the need for intervention in moments of crisis. When she lived with her husband on Bribie Island there were no wildlife carers in the area and, on one occasion, after a particularly bad hail storm they cared for 68 injured birds. Sally has worked at the Australia Zoo Wildlife hospital which has given her excellent education and training on the needs of injured Australian wildlife. The Zoo hospital will treat wildlife, including examination, procedures and medication, for free.
Sally opened the Not For Profit shop to support wildlife carers throughout Australia. With some Carers driving up to five hours each way to rescue an injured animal, the cost in fuel, food, heating and cooling needs of the animals is very expensive. For example, a 20kg bag of Macro-pod milk for Joeys is $500. Sally ensures Carers get fuel cards, warm fleecy pouches, food and essentials for the wildlife being cared for. She also donates items that come into the store for raffle prizes on the dedicated macro-pod site, to raise funds to support carers from all over Australia and Tasmania. This includes the cost of education, workshops and manuals for carers which usually cost in excess of $1000 per seminar.
Sally also uses the proceeds of the Beachmere Op Shop to support youth in crisis, the homeless and victims of domestic violence.
What can you do to help? Support our local Wildlife Op Shop at unit 1, 874 Beachmere Road. Open 8am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.
Australia Zoo emergency hotline 1300 369 652.
FAUNA emergency rescue for SE Queensland 1300 328 621.