Animal house
Animals in the living room, bedroom, bathroom is the norm for Huntington family
A Cape Breton family has played host to some interesting guests over the years.
HUNTINGTON, N.S. One could say this Cape Breton family lives a bit on the wild side.
Johnny Huntington, manager of the Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Huntington, near Marion Bridge, and his wife Kelly, who is also employed there, have had lots of unique house guests over the years.
These days, their living room is shared with two piglets, only days old.
“The sow had 16 and couldn’t look after them all. They would have died,” explains Kelly. “The kids are helping to bottle feed them.”
Most of the animals that needed extra care and ended up at his home over the last 36 years since the park opened were there because there simply wouldn’t be anyone to look after them otherwise.
At one time the Two Rivers Wildlife Park was run by the Department of Natural Resources. When funding was cut, Johnny said they started a non-profit association in 1996 to save the park.
Kelly said a most memorable houseguest came about 13 years ago, when a woman found a three-day old moose calf under her boat.
“The mother was found up the road, she had been hit by a car.”
They brought the calf – which they named Millie – home.
“It stayed between the porch and our living room.”
She said Johnny looked after Millie and eventually she was taken to the park. However, by this time Millie thought Johnny was her mother and refused to eat unless Johnny fed her. He even had to go in on his days off to look after her.
“When she’d hear Johnny’s voice she’d come bouncing out of the compound, would be so excited she’d start running in circles.”
Sadly, Millie, a park favourite, died in 2013.
However, some animals they have brought home not only occupied space in their living room, but also their bathtub. They cared for park otters Peanut Butter and Jelly, who were brought home at just two days old.
The Huntingtons also raised two baby cougars.
Kelly remembers it was an Easter weekend, snowing and cold. The cougars were born in captivity, but their mother abandoned them.
“They were only six hours old when we brought them home.”
The cougars reminded them of kittens and were kept in a box with a heating pad.
“They were adorable, we’d play with them on the bed.”
Kelly said their four children Telsi-Lynn, 19, Shyla, 17, Phalen, 14, and John Evan, 12, were brought up with wild animals in the home and have always played a big part in their care.
Some animal guests have left a lasting reminder of their visit, most recently it was three orphaned baby skunks. Kelly said Johnny picked them up from Shubenacadie Wildlife Park a couple of weeks ago. It was late when he arrived in Cape Breton, so he just brought them straight home.
“They spent their first night and the better part of the next day here in our kitchen and living room.”
There hadn’t been time to have them de-scented yet. Kelly said one of her daughters picked one of the skunks up and it squirted a little at her.
“It was pretty stinky but nothing like the adult one would be. It kind of squirted in the air.
“I had to clean for quite a while,” she added laughing.
The Two Rivers Wildlife Park includes more than 50 species of wildlife and more than 100 animals, as well as a petting zoo, hiking, and winter recreation such as cross-country ski trails and sleigh rides and offers camping facilities in the summer.