Blog 24: Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

 

• What is the best way to care for an animal that is to be rehabilitated back into it's natural environment? The best way to care for an animal is to have the correct initial approach on the animal to not stress it more and increase it's chance of survival. While habitat and records are essential as well in the rehabilitation process, you don't have to worry about habitat until the last stage of the rehabilitation process- says Debrah- a wildlife rehabilitator founder and director for 30 years.  Records are vital in recovery, but if you do not have the right approach on the animal, it will die before you make it to the last stages of record- and if the animal imprints- it cannot be released back into the wild. I would say the records come important in the treatment phase which would be somewhere in the middle, while as initial approach is essential through every step.

 

 

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• When I first discovered my first answer- through a multiple of articles as well as mentorship at the animal shelter- I knew that this would be my best answer. It just fit perfectly with every scenario of the rehabilitation process. Of course, habitat and records are essential; and my interviews conflicted me on which answer to choose- one didn't consider habitat much of an important factor while the other said to always keep it in the back of your mind through recovery. After I completed my animal handling and training course I had to check for signs of fear, stress, or contentness and determine whether or not I would socialize with the animal- it is important to socialize so when an important adopter comes in and wants to play with the animal- it will already be used to it. Even though this process is contradictory towards wildlife- they need to keep humans as predators where as domesticated animals need to trust humans- I think initial approach works on all kinds of rehabilitation methods towards animals . Without that connection you can never recovery the mental state of the animal and if it is wildlife- the over stress can kill it.

 

 

 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• I couldn't get the experience I wanted with wildlife- where organizations really needed help, and where there was actual wildlife rehabilitation centers- they were usually out of state. And for the few opportunities I did have- at a raptor rehabilitation center, migratory birds, etc, their was a specific age requirement to work with the animals. So, I settled with working at an animal shelter- which corresponds towards my eq because, I am helping rehabilitate domesticated animals who have been abused, and neglected both physically and mentally to a state where they can be adopted into a 'forever home.' Dogs and cats show similar signs of stress, fear, towards humans as wildlife do when they feel threatened- though the repercussions are far less severe.

 

 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Dr wildlife by Rory C Foster and my third and fourth interviewee's. The book takes you on a journey of a man who built himself up as a rehabilitator and gave real life scenarios on wildlife and human encounters- what cases they discovered,  and how they educated the public on how to approach the animals as well as how they treated them. Also, my third and fourth interview with Terry and Debrah both founders of their organizations- focus on initial approach. Relieving stress and creating a border line is very important.

 

 

(5) What is your product and why

• My product would be the connections I made. I would never have known how many opportunities were out their to gain experience with wildlife and make a bigger impact on the world. It was such a great opportunity for me to talk to and interview wildlife rehabilitators most of which our founders of their centers! I applaud them for the hard work and dedication they set forth with their passion for animals every day. It is not a profession for money, it's a obligation for saving our creatures. Their are many possible internships that I am going to look up once the year is over and I am 18. I didn't have the opportunity to work with animals the way I wanted to because of my age, but I know where I would like to start.