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Schedule

10:00-11:00 am: Handling the Public’s Wildlife Dilemma Calls – Part 1

Morning Sessions

  • Value of phone advising
    • Saves lives, reduces intakes, educates public about co-existence
  • Working with human psychology
    • Asking the right questions to confirm the species and situation
    • Making a good problem diagnosis / identifying and addressing source of problem
    • Getting public cooperation, receptivity to your advice
  • Packaging and delivering advice
    • Fear-based calls vs. true problem calls
    • Giving the right advice – typical “orphan” scenarios by species o Keeping control of the calls, getting successful outcomes

11:00-11:15 am: BREAK

11:15-12:15 am: Handling the Public’s Wildlife Dilemma Calls – Part 2

Mid-Morning Sessions

  • Reuniting and wild-fostering as a priority
    • Philosophy and Methods
    • Distinguishing orphans from reuniting candidates, proper advice & protocols
    • Importance of monitoring to ensure success
    • Rehabilitation as a last resort
  • Rabies: Myths and Misconceptions
    • Calming and educating the caller
  • Mystery Scenarios: Test your skills!
    Handling the Larger Issue that Comes with the Animal
    • Ways to address and fix the root cause of harm to animals, working with the media to achieve your goals
    • Building a cruelty case
  • Special challenges
    • The uncooperative or threatening caller
    • Outdoor cats, chronic trappers, kidnappers, avid relocators
    • Nuisance wildlife control industry/ traditional practices
  • Record-keeping options

12:15 – 1:15 pm: LUNCH

1:15 – 2:15 pm: Handling Conflict Calls – Part 1

Afternoon Sessions

  • The Humane Wildlife Services (HWS) approach
    • Proper assessment, Eviction, Exclusion
    • Long term solution – solves problem at source
    • Biologically-based, on-site release, least invasive
    • Humane outcomes, orphaning avoided

2:00-2:15 am: BREAK

2:15 – 3:30 pm: Handling Conflict Calls – Part 2

Late Afternoon Sessions

  • Rescue advice
    • Capture/ transport
  • Species by Species Profiles
    • Typical and common problems and solutions for raccoons, woodchucks, squirrels, bats, opossums, skunks, beavers, ducks

3:30- 4:00 pm: Q and A, wrap-up