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New animal rehabilitation center opens in Spencertown

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By DAVID LEE


Lucky day for animals
At Lucky Rehabilitation Center in Spencertown, Maria Geel talks to a tour group about opossums which are actually very friendly and environmentally beneficial, eating lots of harmful insects and ticks as well as dead animals. They do not get rabies. Photo by David Lee

SPENCERTOWN – If it is true that the best measure of humanity is a concern for the well-being of even the smallest of creatures, then the little building with attached open pens of the Lucky Rehabilitation Center (LRC) is an empire. A ribbon was cut for the facility at 214 Reed Road on Friday, June 16, and visitors got a chance to tour the facility and see the animals sheltered inside.
The tours led by center co-founders Maria Geel and her mother Susan and some of the volunteers, introduced visitors to 12 tiny orphaned white-tail fawns, a pair of baby opossums named Pete and Bobby, a baby woodchuck named Gabe, a pair of baby rabbits labeled the “Dynamic Duo,” a litter of newborn rabbits that were being tube-fed, a kit fox, two adult opossums and a starling in the aviary.
They all have names and personalities, but as Maria Geel said, “We don’t want them to like us or get too used to us, because they will need be released back into the wild.” She said that since they opened, about 500 orphaned or injured animals had been rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitat, typically on the 13 acres they own or in the nearby state forest.
Performing the actual ribbon cutting was Jane Beavan who ran Ghent Rehabilitation out of her house. That facility closed during the Covid years, but was the model and inspiration for the Lucky Rehabilitation Center. Ms. Geel, acting as MC for the ceremony, gave a little history of the Center beginning with both her mother’s and then her own volunteer work at Ms. Beavan’s rescue facility. “Jane is the reason there is any wildlife rehabilitation in the area. Jane had been in the Peace Corps in Africa and there helped rescue lion cubs. She had an incredible amazing impact on so many of us and is the reason that we’ve had all of this come together,” said Ms. Geel.
Currently there are about 6 volunteers that come regularly, some are new and some have been with them since the start. But they are always looking for more. “What we need are your hands and time. Volunteers quickly learn that, yes, there are a lot of cute animals here, but a majority of the work involves mundane but very important tasks like cleaning cages, preparing meals and washing dishes,” said Ms. Geel. Veterinarian Sue Tanner is the doctor on call.

At just 19, Ms. Geel is the beating heart of the center. She is currently studying wildlife medicine at Paul Smith’s College. “When I was 7 or 8 I learned about wildlife rehab and at 8 I became a volunteer. I convinced my mom to get relicensed and we turned my playroom in the house to a rehabilitation room.” Ms. Geel got her own license when she was 16, the youngest age allowed.
The newly refitted barn has an examination room, a room with several incubators, an indoor shelter for fawns, a preparation area and another semi-open area where the fox and adult possum were being boarded. There were many contributors to LRC, but Ms. Geel wanted to be sure to thank major donors including Herrington’s Lumber who donated all the wood, F.H. Stickles who poured the foundation, Kneller Insurance, ACP Power Equipment, the Berry Farm and Tractor Supply.
Ms. Geel maintains a lively Facebook page with many of her writings and pictures of animals who have come through the doors, like a baby fisher cat, a coyote, baby weasels all successfully nurtured to the point that they could leave and survive on their own. Also on the Facebook page are flowchart style recommendations for how people should respond to various circumstances involving injured or orphaned animals.
“We are not trying to change the natural order of things,” Ms. Geel said.
“Some people say, ‘let nature take its course’ and would have us abandon all attempts to save these critters. For the most part I agree. Nature needs to happen. (I also believe that hunting is a natural and an excellent means to maintain wild populations.) Where I find fault with this logic is when humans, our pets, our mistakes or our plans get in the way of nature taking its course.”

The Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/luckyrehab or call 518 653-0971.

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