Wide-eyed and adorable, baby possums equaled the tabby kittens in popularity at the St. Charles Parish Animal Shelter’s first petting zoo at this year’s parish summer camp.
The children loved learning about the shelter’s uniquely interesting menagerie of critters.
“We brought a baby turkey, chick, blue jay and possums as part of the wildlife rehabilitation portion, and dogs and kittens and tortoises were also a hit,” said Jena Troxler, the parish’s animal control supervisor.
The baby possums are literally road kill survivors.
“The staff will feed wildlife and rehab them when needed,” Troxler said. “And that’s why we had possums.”
Their mother had been killed on a highway, but the babies survived, she said. They were recovered from her pouch and brought to the shelter. She said they are being bottle fed and became what turned out to be a hugely popular feature of the petting zoo.
This is the first time the Animal Shelter and parish’s Parks and Recreation Department worked together to provide the mobile zoo.
Wildlife being helped right along with the domestic critters, kittens and puppies or dogs, at the shelter is a story onto itself, and part of why the parish’s Animal Shelter could provide a petting zoo that had the kids at summer camp thrilled over being able to hold the animals, as well as learn about them.
An estimated 350 children go to pet them all at Ethel Schoeffner and Lakewood elementary schools on June 26. The camps were combined at those locations to facilitate the petting zoo.
Troxler said the interaction with the shelter animals and children brought about a lot of good discussion regarding spay and neuter “so their pets don’t bring friends to the shelter,” as well as discussion about free programs for community/outdoor cats and animal care. It also helps promote pet adoptions.
“It was great to see how much they absorbed when we have visited elementary schools last year, as they remember one resounding theme … visit the animals at the shelter to share your love, even if not adopting,” she said.
The shelter’s commitment to caring for wildlife is a potentially unique part of what it does because it requires training and preparation to handle the animals, Troxler said. This is not always the case with animal shelters.Praising Troxler’s work at the shelter, Duane Foret, director of the parish’s Parks and Recreation Department, said he approached Troxler and asked if the Animal Shelter could put on a petting zoo.
“Being able to pet little animals that she brought was a big hit with the kids,” Foret said. “The kids were really excited and the best thing about that is it is a collaborative effort.”
Both Foret and Troxler noted how the children learned how to work with animals, while the animals enjoyed a day out of the shelter.
“We’d be happy to go back next year,” Troxler said. “It’s a free way to entertain those kids at the camp without spending money on an outside resource.”
In the meantime, Troxler said they’re getting more requests for the petting zoo, which she said is a welcome development, as well.
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