Wildlife Rescue League

A simple piece of discarded fishing line could have cost this Canada goose its foot.

A few weeks ago, Wildlife Rescue League volunteers Billy Rios and Patti Jerman responded to a call at Washington Sailing Marina in Alexandria about a goose struggling to walk. They found fishing line tightly wrapped around its left leg, along with a sinker and hook.

Using food as a distraction, Patti helped keep the goose calm while Billy safely netted it. The pair carefully removed the line and found that, thankfully, it had not yet cut into the skin. Left untreated, the injury could have restricted circulation and resulted in permanent damage or even the loss of the foot. Just minutes later, the goose was back on its feet, grazing peacefully along the Potomac.

Please remember: Discarded fishing line poses a serious threat to wildlife. Always dispose of fishing gear properly to help keep our wild neighbors safe. If you see any wildlife at risk because of a situation like this one, please call our Helpline at (703) 440-0800.

As we enter America’s 250th year of nationhood, we thought it would be fitting to provide a brief history lesson on the evolution of animal rights throughout U.S. history!

The first mention of animal protection we could find information on dates back to 1641. Massachusetts enacted a comprehensive “Body of Liberties,” in which cruelty against animals in one’s possession was prohibited and which required that rest and refreshment be provided to animals being driven or led.

Closely following their British counterparts, it wasn’t long before U.S. Protestants in the spirit of revivalism and social reform of the Second Great Awakening began advocating for and passing animal protection laws and organizing societies around these objectives. Ministers included animal mercy among those behaviors befitting upright Christians. The media circulated these ideals in pamphlets, fiction and classroom materials. The principles of kindness toward animals continued to be expressed among abolitionists and temperance activists through the latter part of the 1800s, marking benevolence toward animals as an indicator of moral character.

A prime example and a catalyst for additional protections came in 1866 when New York incorporated an animal protection society with policing powers to prosecute abuse, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The following year they spearheaded an important law that prohibited blood sports and abandonment. These ideas and legal protections spread like wildfire and by the following decade, similar laws were widespread across the U.S.
We’re so thankful for these foundational standards that paved the way for animal protection rights for years to come - all animals deserve the right to exist in our communities safely!

Our final stop this month for this series (though you should continue exploring our wild and beautiful state!) is Breaks Interstate Park! Straddling southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, this enormous 4500 acre park features some of the most dramatic landscapes on this side of the Mississippi!

It also features some fairly unique fauna-you can expect to find scarlet tanagers, yellow-billed cuckoos, and great crested flycatchers! Make sure to visit this summer and enjoy an evening concert put on by their local whip-poor-wills!

As we continue meandering through the Commonwealth on our bird watching tour, we invite you to stop at the Great Dismal Swamp. We know, we know-the name sounds anything but appealing! But, did you know the Great Dismal Swamp is designated a Globally Important Bird Area? It is one of the best birding spots in the state with over 200 species identified within its massive 112,000 acres!

You’re still in time to enjoy the peak birding season at this wildlife refuge as it spans from April through June-let’s go spot some prairie warblers and barred owls, shall we?! With miles of trails to explore, and plenty of water to paddle through, you’re sure to find some pretty spectacular sights!