For as long as I can remember I have wanted to nurture and care for animals. As a child, when the weather turned bad outside I would ask my mom if we could bring them all inside, out of the cold or rain. Now as an adult my wish has been fulfilled. In addition to rehabilitating thousands of birds and animals over the years, I have created a sanctuary and a safe place for wildlife to live. Sadly, the problem with sanctuaries is that the animals are only protected when they are here. When they cross my road they may be hit by a speeding car or when they leave the property they may be shot by a hunter.

On Thanksgiving morning as I walked out of my horse barn I found one of the large bucks from my herd laying dead beside the flowerbeds next to my barn. The anger and sadness I felt over his death was compounded by my frustration and inability to keep him safe from harm. Sadly, even after this buck had been shot, his tracks clearly showed that he ran down our driveway and returned home to where he felt safe.

Every living creature deserves to have a place where they feel safe. The more land we develop the less habitat and safe places wildlife have. Each of us can create safe places for wildlife on our land simply by sharing areas for them to overwinter, and in the spring raise their young. We can also allow certain areas to be covered with leaves to protect insect habitat and food for birds. Leaving areas of our property unmowed will allow native vegetation to flourish and encourage more wildlife to return to these natural areas.

We can all support safe places not only for wildlife but for people as well. Although we physically may not be able to provide that safe place for other people, we can show compassion instead of judgment of others. We can all respect an individual’s right to have that safe place, and to realize how important it is to their overall health and well-being. The amazing part about animals is their ability to share the resources they have and to co-exist with one another. Every living being deserves a place where they feel safe. Let us allow them that.

With Gratitude and Blessings,
Cheryl