Pa's Acute Care Program
Pa's Legacy
At the end of July 2021 our Great Man Pa was spotted lying next to a fence for hours until he moved away. The signs around where he had been lying indicated he had been caught in the fence and would have been recovering.
He didn’t move far and appeared stiff and sore. Nikki had been called to attend along with another wildlife rescuer. Once he was sedated Nikki was able to assess him and it was clear Pa was a very old kangaroo with compromised health. He was emaciated, arthritic, blind in one eye and covered in mites. His worn down teeth indicated Pa was a Great Elder.
Pa was transported to Red Box Wildlife Shelter (RBWS) where he received veterinarian care. At RBWS Pa found somewhere he could sleep deeply and recover in safety. Over months of RBWS love and dedication Pa regained his strength. Due to his great age, he remained under veterinarian care and was monitored closely.
The RBWS joeys loved Pa. It was easy to see they looked up to him and respected him. Pa brought a calmness to the yard and a sense of safety for the little ones. For almost a year Pa shared his wisdom and love with the young joeys in care; the free mob who would visit from the forest; the humans at RBWS and the RBWS online community through Nikki’s posts.
The Great Man Pa left us, peacefully entering his Dreamtime, on the 19th of July 2022.
He continues to watch over all his kin who come in to care at RBWS.
How to Support the Great Man Pa's Acute Care Program
Red Box Wildlife Shelter is dedicated to treating all orphaned and injured kangaroos who are brought in to their care, including the adults and Elders.
Often a sick and/or injured kangaroo will come in to care and require acute treatment and therapy.
During this time their care is usually very labour intensive and costly.
This program is an opportunity to sponsor an injured kangaroo during their acute episode of care. This would normally be around 1-2 months, but can extend up to 6 months depending on the care and treatment required.
The care and treatment of these kangaroos is approximately $125-150 per week, which includes medication, food and bedding.
Your monthly donations will help towards the care of these kangaroos, which may include:
- Anaesthetic agents
- Pathology tests
- Intravenous/subcutaneous fluids
- Chlorhex solution
- Sedation for each treatment, in particular involving wound care, which may be every 3 days
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatories
- Analgesics – pain killers
- Other medications eg. Cortisone etc
- Bandages
- Dressings
- Solution to irrigate wounds
- Colloidal Silver
- Tumeric Paste
- Ointment
- Syringes and needles
- Physiotherapy equipment – eg, jacket and harness
This program has a shorter time frame of monthly sponsorship; however, you can opt out at any time you choose.
It is for those people who would like to sponsor kangaroos who require intensive support to heal from their injuries or illnesses, in order to be released back in to the wild; either back to their home mob, or to be relocated with the RBWS free mob.
Sometimes, despite all the care and treatment they receive, some kangaroos may choose to leave this world and go in to their Dreamtime to continue their work from the other side of the veil. In this instance they will be supported with veterinary care and lots of love to transition.
Investment: $50 per month. *
Benefits to you
The greatest benefit for you is the opportunity to be directly involved – by proxy – in the care of our sick and injured kangaroos.
Red Box Wildlife Shelter is a no public admission shelter, however with your sponsorship you will play a significant part in supporting our iconic kangaroos to be free and to live without fear of persecution, exploitation and displacement.
The Great Man Pa’s Acute Care Program allows you to choose your kangaroo requiring intensive care and in exchange for your sponsorship, you will receive:
- A personalised Sponsorship Certificate by email in PDF format so you can print out and frame
- The story of how your kangaroo came in to care at the Red Box Wildlife Shelter
- A pdf of Pa’s full bio
- Information pamphlet about the Red Box Wildlife Shelter
- RBWS bookmark
- Pa postcard
- Weekly email updates and photos of your kangaroo as they heal!
* PLEASE NOTE that RBWS does not currently have DGR status.
