Touching a chord
The many reporters of Saltwire Network covered a wide variety of stories in 2018 and they were asked to pick one that stood out.
The loss of Dr. Helene Van Doninck, the veterinarian who ran the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (CWRC) is the story from 2018 that stands out most for me.
She was not only a veterinarian who gave her own time to care for wild animals, and a great resource when I wrote articles on wildlife, but she was also a dear friend.
Van Doninck died Aug. 10, 2018 at the age of 52, after a battle with ovarian cancer.
She and her husband, Murdo Messer, opened the CWRC on their Hilden property in 2001. It grew from a small operation to a centre with a flyway for birds of prey and a building designed for the care and housing of wildlife.
Van Doninck was an expert, who shared her knowledge, on the treatment of oiled birds – and I was happy to become a member of her eagle-washing team.
She treated birds of prey for lead poisoning and travelled around the Maritimes to encourage hunters and anglers to switch to non-lead ammunition and tackle.
She also spread the message on the importance of keeping cats indoors, both for their own safety and to protect small birds.
Although it will never be quite the same, her legacy continues at the CWRC, with others stepping forward to ensure wild animals receive life-saving care.