Meet Our Special Flock
Lola's story
Lola, a Polish Mute Swan, came to us at just a few days old, after being discovered rejected in the nest at a local park, where Rangers then attempted to reunite with her mother. After an unsuccessful attempt to reunite and two of our volunteers taking her in temporarily, Lola was brought to our founders home to be raised, with the goal to reintroduce back to the downtown lake where she hatched.
Estimating the 3 month timeframe to raise Lola to the size and strength she would need to be to survive back in her original location, the founders embarked on modifications to their space, to give Lola the optimal environment to learn the essential skills of being a swan, coupled with the love they observed to be critical to Lola’s livelihood.
Lola quickly stole the hearts of many, including her founders, but they always stated they would do what was in the best interest of Lola. With that at the core of everything they did, the plan was devised in partnership and guidance from other worldwide swan organizations and Lola was reintroduced to her lone surviving sibling from the park and they were brought together in a controlled space. Our volunteers then stepped in and cared for both Lola and her sibling in a controlled environment, where a bond was formed and the hope that her sibling would then help to show her the way, upon release back on the lake.
Release day was a monumental day, where Lola and her sibling ventured out and began to enjoy their new space, along with the other swans and waterfowl at the lake. Unfortunately they soon became separated and Lola ended up venturing into a territory that is considered to be controlled by another aggressive swan and was attacked, suffering a slight wing injury. At this time, our founders realized that Lola had other plans and they chose to bring her back and embrace having her in their care permanently.
Bennett's story
Bennett is an ~11 year old black Australian Swan, who has lived his life at a downtown city managed park and was found in early December in critical condition, unable to walk or hold up his neck. He was transported to the vet where it was determined to either be a toxin ingestion or botulism. Bennett was treated for both conditions, but sadly did not vastly improve and was recommended for euthanasia.
Our founders and volunteers who visited Bennett at the vet during this time, believed that Bennett may be able to better recover in their care, receiving around the clock supportive care, rehabilitation and nutritional support. Bennett has been in our care since mid December and has made tremendous improvements. The efforts have included water therapy and swimming, aided walks with a sling and medicinal supplements such as B12 and other. Bennett did gain the ability to swim without support, walk and eat again, but we have also learned the enormous neurological effects a suspected toxin ingestion can have on birds especially and has had moments of regression throughout his recovery.
He has since undergone alternative means of treatment, including acupuncture and laser therapy, to exhaust all reasonable measures of recovery available. While Bennetts recovery and prognosis remain unknown, we are taking every measure possible to give him the opportunity to thrive and have a quality of life. While the local support and medical care has been tremendous, having few to no specialists in the area specialized or able to treat swans, we continue to realize the need this foundation can and needs to fill.
Please consider a donation to further support his ongoing treatment and care.
Hope's story
Hope, a French Toulouse/Domestic mix breed goose came to us at around 2 weeks old, after having suffered a seizure and lost her ability to stand, walk and control her neck, leaving her unable to eat on her own. Our founders took her in and provided round the clock care, ensured optimal nutrition and worked with her hourly to build strength, with the goal to reintroduce back to her two siblings and eventually back to the park where she was originally rescued.
Dedicated pools were set up for regular swimming to build strength and keep her moving, while also continuously helping her to stand with aided support and gently manipulating and supporting her neck, to again learn how to control and eventually eat on her own. This care also included leveraging medical tape to keep her legs in the proper positioning to help her ability to stand, as well as fabricating a makeshift shoe with a sandpaper bottom, to further help her establish solid footing.
It was a very joyous moment when Hope took her first steps. She continued her recovery, eventually unaided walking and then running and regaining all the necessary strength and capabilities to be returned to her siblings for a few weeks, before returning to the wild at the park.
Hope has since gone on to become a beloved member of the park, quite distinguishable in her markings and a favorite amongst park goers for her infectious personality. She has also had the opportunity to become a mother and has established herself as the queen of the park, with her friends in tow, everywhere she goes.
Please consider a donation to help support these ongoing efforts and successful rescues and rehabilitations.
Angel's story
Angel is a Polish Mute Swan, who is a cygnet from the mating pair of swans on a downtown lake. Angel was part of a clutch that unfortunately had a number or health issues, as two cygnets didn’t make it past a few days, as they were rejected due to having bacterial infections from suspected egg sac peritonitis and ultimately succumbed to their infections. A third cygnet was ultimately rejected at 2 months old, for unknown reasons, but also suffered from some developmental deformities, but we were luckily able to be re-homed to a safe environment.
Angel, the 4th of 5 cygnets, developed Angel Wing, where the last joint in the wing (carpal or wrist) twists outward, causing the wings to grow laterally instead of against the body, rendering them flightless for life. This often debated condition, considered to either be genetic or hereditary, or as some have researched, believe to be diet related. In our research and based on the fact this mating pair and clutch has always had semi controlled and consistent nutrition, as well as the other health issues of this specific clutch, tend to agree more with the research that leads to genetic or hereditary.
Since there is no local sanctuary for placement and treatment for this condition is not available locally and the success of forms of treatment is inconsistent in other parts of the world, the decision was made to allow the parents to continue to raise Angel. We knew we would need to step in and find a safe home, once the parents began to chase the cygnets, as they do at the end of each year.
We worked to identify a home for Angel with one other swan, believed to be male, where Angel could live out her life in the companionship of another swan and safety of a contained environment, as she would not be able to survive in the wild, without the ability to escape predators or change locations, without the ability to fly.
Unfortunately after two weeks, the other swan refused to accept Angel on to his pond, leaving Angel in difficult and unsafe situations, so the decision was made to bring Angel back, as a permanent resident and companion for Lola.
