Recently, an oil spill occurred in the rivers and ponds of the Emerald Necklace, where many of beloved waterfowls were heavily impacted. When they urgently needed our help, the New England Wildlife Center (NEWC) and the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine jumped in and have been working tirelessly to help the affected animals.

Since the incident, several veterinarians and a handful of veterinary technicians have worked overtime each day to treat and care for over tens of Canada geese and ducks covered in oil. These birds first require stabilization with foods and water and heat to prevent hypothermia, followed by a cleaning of their airways, flushing oil from their eyes and mouths, and multiple intensive washing sessions. Washing takes about an hour per bird, a process which requires several people to work together and is incredibly time-consuming. Additionally, the birds are getting ongoing medical care, including pain relief meds, gastro protectants to prevent potential ulcerations, and saltwater pools to re-waterproof their feathers. The process is labor-intensive and takes two months before the birds are ready to return to the wild.

NEWC and Tufts promptly began both immediate rescues and subsequent long-term relief efforts, offering significant and practical aid to our community’s natural environment, which has deeply moved us. For this reason, we would like to express our gratitude to NEWC and Tufts on behalf of communities along the Emerald Necklace.

We hope that every family will join us in this effort. It is important to emphasize that the focus of this fundraising campaign is not on the amount of money donated, but on the number of community members participating. The greater the participation, the stronger the display of our care and enthusiasm for this community. Let’s show our appreciation to the wonderful staff of NEWC and Tufts!