Meet Baillee:
Zoom Classroom Mascot
T
he fourth-grade students at Emerson Elementary School quickly fell in love with teacher Beth Calsyn’s pup Baillee, who was tasked with helping her during the six-week PAWS Kids Who CareSM curriculum. They couldn’t wait to tune in on Zoom to see the cute puppy growing right before their eyes. As the unofficial Kids Who Care mascot, Baillee was a bright spot for Beth and her students during the pandemic. Weeks prior, Beth had casually mentioned to PAWS Education Coordinator Kate Campbell that she and her husband were ready to adopt. Says Beth, “Since I’ve worked with PAWS in the past, I trusted them. I know how well they take care of the animals.” Kate told Beth about a litter of PAWS puppies, and it wasn’t long before Beth and her husband adopted Baillee. Born in a local foster home after her pregnant mother came to PAWS from an overcrowded shelter in Texas, Baillee was ready to find a home of her own. While Beth has included PAWS’ Kids Who Care programming in her classroom since 2016, it wasn’t until she came to meet Baillee that she first stepped foot onto the PAWS campus in Lynnwood. The Kids Who Care curriculum is dedicated to teaching youth to demonstrate compassion to all beings and protect animal habitats.
“She’s added spunk and love to our lives, using her big brown eyes to melt hearts and get what she wants.”
Typically taught by PAWS educators, the curriculum was repackaged for teachers to present to their students on Zoom. Beth found that visiting PAWS and adopting Baillee gave her valuable knowledge and a personal connection to share with her students at a time when lessons were virtual and otherwise felt distant. Baillee is now thriving in her new home. Beth says Baillee loves romping around in her backyard so much that it can be hard to get her to come back inside. After a long day of playing, Baillee can be found asleep, surrounded by her many toys. Please visit paws.org/foster for more details on fostering, current foster opportunities, and how to apply to be a foster parent at PAWS.
Cover Story — continued roundtrip drive to Sarvey Wildlife Center, where the eagle was stabilized and got the care he needed before being transferred to PAWS. Our veterinary staff determined that the second-year eagle was unable to fly due to significant wing droop from the left carpus, or wrist, likely from soft tissue injury or nerve trauma. A figure-eight wrap was placed on the wing to immobilize it and prevent further injury and feather damage. Regular physical therapy ensured range of motion was maintained while the wing healed. To be ready for release, he needed to fly to high perches in his enclosure consistently and without much effort. Over seven months later—well after the patients he’d saved had already been returned to the wild—a PAWS rehabilitator spotted him on the highest perch. He was finally ready! On release day, PAWS Naturalist Jeff Brown prepared the carrier, specially designed to protect the eagle’s tail and flight feathers during transport, for the long journey back to Twisp. The eagle was fitted with a tiny GPS backpack that allows researchers to track his progress and assess the survival rate of rehabilitated eagles. The tag is lightweight and fastened with a biodegradable cotton string that will eventually break, allowing the eagle to continue living his life unencumbered.
After 234 days of care at PAWS, the rehabilitated golden eagle flew out of his carrier to a nearby ridge and back to a full life in the wild.
After 234 days of care at PAWS, the fully rehabilitated golden eagle flew out of his carrier to a nearby ridge. One of his rescuers who had bravely waded into the river to save him was there to witness his strong flight out of sight and back to a full life in the wild.
