Bohollow Fights Cancer Without Transport

Team fundraiser

Tanya Minotti and Kirsty Ramadan are organizing this fundraiser to benefit Bohollow Wildlife Shelter Incorporated.

My name is Tanya and I am a volunteer for Bohollow Wildlife Shelter. I have volunteered for the shelter for about 7 years, I transport animals, perform simple rescues and assist in more challenging ones.

Me, Tanya with a baby Falcon at Bohollow Wildlife Shelter

Right now, Bohollow need lots of help!

Just weeks ago. one of Bohollow's most hands on and longest serving volunteers, Dave, was diagnosed with cancer. Dave had major surgery to remove a large tumour from his brain which spread from his lungs. Dave is from Philip Island and has no relatives close by but has been considered family to Kirsty, her mother and her 4 children for the 15 years that have known each other.

When Dave started showing signs that things were not right, Kirsty has been by his side and has taken it upon herself to be Dave's primary care provider while his treatment schedule is intensive and unable to drive after brain surgery.

Dave and Kirsty with a sedated kangaroo

The site of Dave's incision to remove a tumour

But wait, there's more.

While out on a rescue recently Kirsty and a large kangaroo collided. Unfortunately the kangaroo had to be euthanized and Kirsty was left without transport due to the damage caused to her rescue van! It may be February before the van is repaired!

The Bohollow van on a tow truck

All of this on top of the usual warm weather increase of wildlife into the shelter, as the weather warms up our native animals come pouring into Bohollow. Orphaned baby birds blown out of nests, pouched young from animals hit on roads, animals attacked by domestic pets etc; Spring and Summer is always so very busy and money gets very tight with so many extra mouths to feed and extra tanks of fuel for wildlife transport.

Kirsty with a Peregrine Falcon that was stuck in a car grille

We all love our native animals and many of us have found ourselves needing to get help for injured or orphaned wildlife. Regardless of whether you have called Wildlife Victoria, a local vet or other organisation, if you are located in Northern Victoria or even Southern NSW, the animal you have helped will probably end up in the hands of the carers at Bohollow Wildlife Shelter.

We may find one or two injured animals in our whole life, but an average day for Kirsty can involve half a dozen animals and hours on the road, sometimes not getting home until very late at night and using a tank of fuel per day to pick up animals!

Kirsty and myself with an injured kangaroo in a kangaroo bag

So there are two things that are in dire need at the shelter currently;

• A rescue vehicle, even just a rental. Residing out of town is hard without a vehicle add on Dave's appointments for cancer treatments, it's becoming quite a juggle and very stressful for the household.

• The residence on the Bunbartha Shelter property is a small 3 bedroom 1 bathroom home. Currently Kirsty, her mother and Kirsty's 4 children reside there and a lot of space is taken by animals that require intensive care. Also, considering Dave will be needing extra care and the space available in their home currently, I would like to raise enough to provide the opportunity to install a granny flat or something similar to provide a little comfort.

A baby Tawny Frogmouth

Kirsty has been caring for native wildlife for over half of her life, all the money she has ever made has been used to feed and shelter native wildlife. Bohollow Wildlife Shelter provides a service that is free for us to use and one that is needed. In the time that Bohollow has been in operation there have been many shelters and wildlife carers come and go and Bohollow is now the only currently operating native wildlife shelter in the area.

This is a MASSIVE burden!