Good Caws Crow Rescue Society, a local non-profit animal rescue in Prince George, has a new resident with a unique challenge.
Siren, a young magpie rescued by Good Caws, suffered injuries believed to have been caused by a vehicle. Her leg healed improperly, prompting a local veterinarian to recommend amputation.
Fortunately, the community has stepped up in a creative way to help rehabilitate the bird.
“I've had a whole bunch of local people reach out with 3D printers,” said Dayna Slater, founder of Good Caws. “A couple of them do designing and make their own things, so they're sitting on standby. We have to get the surgery done first. She has to survive the surgery. Then, when the swelling goes down, we have to take measurements of her legs so we know how big to make the prosthetic. We also have to make room for padding because we don't want her to get sore from it.”
Slater said she was inspired to explore a 3D-printed prosthetic after doing some research online.
“I just had the idea — can we make bird prosthetics?” she said. “I started looking it up and found some zoos that have done it for various birds. There are even people on Etsy who 3D print them for parrots and other species. I looked up designs because I know where the amputation will happen, and it seems very doable now, thanks to 3D printing.”
Due to the extent of Siren’s injuries, she will remain a permanent resident at Good Caws. The organization is now seeking donations to cover the cost of her surgery and a new enclosure.
“We’ve been getting some generous donations,” said Slater. “We have to build her own enclosure since she’s going to be a permanent resident. Eventually, it’d be nice to house her with our other two ambassador birds, but that’ll take time — it took a year for our crow and raven to get used to each other.”
Slater said the veterinary bill alone is a little over $1,400, with additional costs for medication, checkups and the custom enclosure, which is expected to cost around $2,000.
“That’s why we only have three large enclosures,” she said. “You have to buy so much stuff for them.”
So far, the Prince George community has donated about $1,200 toward Siren’s care. Slater said local support has been a cornerstone of Good Caws’ success.
“Whenever we need help, people step up,” she said. “There’s been a lot of interest and a lot of people who want to volunteer. Any events we host almost always sell out.”
That support has helped Good Caws grow from caring for 10 birds to more than 25.
Slater said public awareness of the organization has also grown. Where she once received only occasional calls for help, she now receives more than 10 per day.
“A lot of the calls are just talking people through what’s happening with birds,” she said. “Like, ‘Oh, it’s a fledgling and it can’t fly. What do I do?’ And I have to explain that’s normal. Birds don’t fly straight from the nest — they spend a week or two on the ground learning to perch, hide and be fed by their parents before they gain flight. It’s a process.”
She said people have even reached out from other countries.
“I’ve had calls from the U.K., from Australia, looking for advice,” she said. “And I’ve had to say, ‘You know I’m in Canada, right?’”
Good Caws continues to grow, accepting more birds and offering educational programs at local museums. Slater said the next step is fundraising and expanding the organization’s permits.
“We’re thinking of new ways to fundraise, but we all have full-time jobs on top of this,” she said. “It’s hard to balance time and make things happen.”
She hopes to expand their permits to care for other species, such as gulls, which are federally protected.
“I want to build an enclosure and be able to keep them longer if they need more time before release,” she said. “In general, I just want to improve. I want to help the public understand and coexist with these animals.”
She said many birds arrive at Good Caws with pellet gun injuries.
“It’s horrible,” she said. “There’s another way to do this — a way that doesn’t involve cruelty.”
Those interested in donating can e-transfer or send PayPal funds to [email protected]. Donations can also be made directly to the Good Caws account at Birchwood Veterinary Hospital.
