Baby shower, a little on the wild side, in Sackville
There's a baby shower Saturday morning at the Sackville Farmers Market that's a little on the wild side.
The Atlantic Wildlife Institute is holding a "wildlife baby shower" to gather supplies before the spring rush of orphaned young animals.
The organization, located in Cookville, just outside Sackville, provides emergency care for injured, orphaned and ill wildlife.
Pam Novak, the director, said the baby boom could start anytime.
"We'll see a variety of different squirrel species, we'll see the bear cubs, we'll see all the variety from waterfowl and song bird species, birds of prey, anything from young owls and falcons right up to eagles — we'll see all of this in terms of a baby version of it," Novak said.
"And so we need to be prepared."
The items needed include everything from cleaning supplies, produce and food to window screen and heavy plastic.
Novak said kiddie pools are also on the list.
"Small pools for a lot of our duck species," she said. "We get 50 or 60 ducklings at any given time that need places to swim."
Helping these young animals can be costly, she said.
"When I have to order in milk supplements that's, like, formulated for a lot of our wildlife species, we're talking, like, $150 for just a small couple-pound bag," she said.
And while there are lots of non-traditional items on the baby shower list, one gift is universal — plush animals.
"Every little animal wants to cuddle up against something for warmth," Novak said.
"So it's not just that it's a heating pad or something like that, but if you can give them something you can burrow into to feel safer and more secure, then it's a better atmosphere for them, where they'll stay a little healthier and less stressed."
Novak said the idea of a baby shower is something most people can relate to.
"So I think the visual of the baby shower helps people kind of see that, yeah, they can help bring gifts, really help us take care of them, the mass variety of different wildlife that we're going to be seeing for the next couple of months," she said.
"In our perspective, we're dealing with our wildlife babies, and these are the unfortunate ones that come in orphaned from either just a couple of hours old to a couple of days old that they've lost their mothers for whatever reason, and they need help to get to that survival state."
A complete list of the items needed are listed on the Atlantic Wildlife Institute's Facebook page.
Representatives will be collecting donations at the Sackville Market on Saturday, Feb. 24, and again on Saturday, March 3. They'll also be at the Moncton Market on Feb. 24.
