Picture of Toronto Wildlife Centre
Caption: LAWRENCE our ring-billed gull
Caption: It was a beautiful early Sunday morning. I just dropped my wife off to work. Birds were flying high and playing in the sky.
Suddenly, two playful ring-billed gulls dove in my direction. One avoided my moving car in time but the other was not as lucky. It hit the hood of the car with a thud and, from my side view mirror, I could see the poor bird belly up with wings outstretched in the middle of Lawrence Avenue, a very busy street.
Caption: After two blocks, I drove back full of guilt and compassion. This time the bird was up on its belly, dazed like a motionless duck on water. Cars were passing over it. I could not help but think of how terrified and terrible it might have felt.
Was it in pain ???
Caption: I waited for a safe lull in the traffic. I ran to pick the bird up. It did not budge. I put it on the grass. It walked a little. Then it flew low and crashed into some hedges. It was still dazed. Its chances of surviving was nil.
I knew I had to do something more.
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Caption: The bird and I waited in the car while I called our city’s Animal Services. The officer said it would be euthanized. I pleaded to give HIM a chance. She suggested I contact the Toronto Wildlife Centre. And that I did!
Caption: I called my children for backup help. The bird was getting restless. Thankfully, they came immediately roused from sleep. We wrapped him up in a plastic bag with its head poking out. We hurried to the centre which was a good drive away. The volunteers received him very well. They were very kind and reassuring. They told us they would do their best to give our rescued bird a chance.
I asked that I be contacted should he make it and be released.
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Caption: The Toronto Wildlife Centre
is in a building of an old military camp.
Caption: More than a month passed. Then one morning, I got a call. The bird survived! He was ready to be reintroduced to his habitat. I was overjoyed.
Did I still want to be there for his release? Of course! I woke the whole family up for this joyful occasion.
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Caption: We met up in the area the gull crashed into my car. The volunteer workers of the Toronto Wildlife Centre wanted to make sure that other gulls, his “friends”, were there to help reorient our rehabilitated gull back to its environment.
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Caption: The big moment came to release our gull. He was going to make it!
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Caption: And the gull flew and flew. He soared into the skies. I was ecstatic. I knew he would make it! Lawrence will make it. And why LAWRENCE? If you remember, it's the name of the street he was rescued from...
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Caption: Thanks to the Toronto Wildlife Centre and its wonderful staff and volunteers!
