River Rock Photo By Natalie Bartley
www.idahoseniorindependent.com
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Sisters rehabilitate anything with fur and feathers
By Dianna Troyer Every three to four hours, Toni Hicks cradles a baby squirrel, squeezing a few drops of a special formula into its mouth with a syringe. The squirrel is one of many creatures in her wildlife menagerie. For 25 years, injured or orphaned squirrels, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, fawns, badgers, rabbits, and other animals have found their way into the rehabilitative hands of Boise residents Toni Hicks, 69, and her sister, Mady Rothchild, 63. In the late 1980s, the Boise natives were volunteering with the local Humane Society, helping cats and dogs find homes, when they decided, “We should start a group that helps wildlife,” recalls Toni. In 1987, along with several others, they founded Animals In Distress Association (AIDA) to serve the Treasure Valley and help rescue, rehabilitate and release injured, displaced, or orphaned wildlife. “AIDA will care for anything furred or feathered except raptors and predators like bears or mountain lions, which are transferred to other rehabilitators,” says Toni, gesturing toward the wild creatures in cages in her home and enclosures in her backyard. (Continued on page 17)