A Soft Landing
O
for Five Siblings
n a cold September morning, a box was found outside a local vet clinic. A note on the box said, “Please help them,” and tucked inside were five juvenile northern flying squirrels. The clinic staff knew where to take these wild animals: the PAWS Wildlife Center. The smallest weighing 34 grams, these young squirrels would normally be entirely dependent on their mom in the wild. Instead, PAWS animal care staff took on the role of caregiver. After 43 days of providing feedings every few hours, they were weaned and moved into outdoor enclosures.
These five northern flying squirrel siblings are safe in a specially built release box.
Knowing the squirrels would require help with the transition to the wild, PAWS staff researched specially built release boxes. These would serve as home base and keep the animals safe as they acclimated to life in the wild.
Says Gilbert, “This project took place from March until the squirrels’ release in October. These young ladies were incredibly dedicated to this project and are still inspiring others as their story is now part of our PAWS Kids Who Care lessons.”
While the squirrels were growing, two Girl Scouts were working with the PAWS Education Team to complete their Silver Award, the highest achievement for Cadettes.
On release day, PAWS Naturalist Jeff Brown brought the five northern flying squirrels to a forest near Issaquah where the boxes were mounted high in the trees. Cameras were set up so PAWS staff could monitor the squirrels’ progress from a distance. And the boxes these intrepid Scouts worked so hard to build enabled the animals to safely explore their new home in the wild at their own pace.
Kaelyn and Malia, previous attendees of PAWS Girl Scout programs, were matched to this project by PAWS Educator Bailey Gilbert. The wildlife experts at PAWS provided the friends with a proposed design. The industrious Scouts then added their own ideas, including a porch entryway to protect the squirrels from animals entering the box.
Kaelyn and Malia each spent more than 50 hours researching, designing and building the boxes. They also created a presentation for other Scouts to learn about the northern flying squirrels project.
For more content related to this story, visit paws.org/Spring2021.
Cover Story — continued through a friend, but was already aware of the organization’s reputation to match the right dog with the right person “so all souls are satisfied,” he explains. “Helping John in his search for his next companion couldn't have been easier,” says Michelle Kulej, PAWS Shelter Operations Specialist. “He was looking for a dog who was as active and easygoing as he is. The most important quality for him was that it be a good fit for both of them. He was willing to wait however long that took.” Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long. “When I first saw Luu, I thought of John and how much he would like her,” says Kulej. “I sent her picture to John, he wanted to meet her, and the rest is history. Luu is one very lucky pup!” Luu now spends her days on John’s eight acres, where every day she walks out to the top of the property and waits expectantly for her leash to come off. She runs wild, bounding between trees and through snow. Coming home to a warm cabin, she has a treat and snuggles into her warm bed. It’s every dog’s dream life. John and Luu’s 365-square-foot cabin, sans indoor plumbing, resembles either a giant doghouse or a tiny human house. It may be the closest our busy modern lives can come to the inaugural relationship of people and dogs. And it’s perfect for John and Luu. He sums it up with, “She needs me and I need her.” “She needs me and I need her,” says John about his new companion Luu.
