Mary Cummins Wildlife Rehabilitation Animal Advocates News Los Angeles California: squirrel

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Sunday, November 3, 2024

Wildlife in the News: Nibi the beaver, Peanut the squirrel, by Mary Cummins Animal Advocates

I'm sure most by now have heard about the stories of Nibi the beaver and Peanut the squirrel. Both were found orphaned and raised by individuals with the intent to release them back to nature. For differing reasons neither were released. Instead the local Fish & Wildlife/Game Departments got involved. After some legal wrangling, petitions, press, social media campaign, Nibi is now an educational beaver. Sadly the authorities just instantly took Peanut and killed him. Here's a little explanation of what issues were involved.

Peanut the squirrel was found orphaned by a kind couple who raised him in Pine City, New York. The finder Mark Longo and his wife tried to release him but he was too acclimated to humans so they kept him. They made a social media page about him wearing hats, acting like a pet which garnered lots of fans and attention. They started P'Nut's Freedom Farm an animal sanctuary. Peanut got the attention of the local Fish & Game Department. New York State Department of Environmental Conversation (DEC) got a warrant then went and took him October 30, 2024 and killed him. They did not cite Longo or give him notice to appear for formal charges. They killed Peanut and a raccoon stating he bit someone and could have rabies. Just fyi any mammal can get and carry rabies. It's extremely rare for squirrels to have rabies. Most would die pretty quickly with obvious signs.

Legally one must have a permit to possess wildlife in New York. One could have possibly gotten an exhibit, sanctuary or wildlife rehabilitation permit to possess a squirrel. One could have also given the squirrel to someone who is already licensed to have squirrels. I doubt anyone would have been bitten at that point. I personally feel the authorities should have given the squirrel to a licensed individual. They could have worked something out in the future so the finders could visit or become licensed. The bad press is never worth it. Sadly that didn't happen. In a perfect world they should have given the baby squirrel to a wildlife rehabilitator so he could have been raised with others then released to the wild. It's possible the finder didn't know the law at the time. He did know the law later and should have taken steps to safeguard Peanut.

Nibi the beaver was also found orphaned. He was given to licensed wildlife rehabilitator Jane Newhouse of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Massachusetts. You must raise beavers with others so they don't get acclimated to human caregivers. Squirrels are the same way. The rehabber tried but couldn't find another beaver Nibi would accept. Nibi wasn't able to be released for this reason. The rehabber applied for an educational permit but was denied. They were ordered to release Nibi instantly. A habituated beaver would most likely die if released.

Instead they used their social media fans to start a petition, contacted the media and contacted lawyers and local politicians. With the help of media and politicians including I believe the Governor they were able to secure the proper permits.

I personally feel they should have been granted the educational permit originally. I feel perhaps the local Fish & Wildlife department just didn't want to encourage rehabbers to keep wildlife or showcase them in a pet like manner. While we got a wildlife rehabilitation and educational exhibit permit our local Fish & Wildlife department is also extremely against giving permits. They believe wildlife should be "utilized" as in hunted, eaten, used for fur, research or released to the wild even if they just die. They don't believe any wildlife should be kept for education, exhibition, sanctuary or foster. Because there are a lot of "working" wild animals in California they still give out some permits to some people.

The purpose of this article is to educate people about possessing wildlife and the necessary permits. If you find ill, injured, orphaned wildlife, give it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator instantly. Don't keep it because you will bond with it and it will bond with you. Then it won't be able to be released back to nature and could end up dead. A life in nature is best for wildlife.

If you want to care for wildlife, volunteer with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. We are not accepting new volunteers but other facilities may. Thanks for caring about wildlife.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

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Mary Cummins

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate Services has been in real estate since 1983, over 35 years. She is licensed by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Mary Cummins was an agent and broker licensed with the California Department of Real Estate selling residential income, commercial buildings, raw land and homes for Merrill Lynch Realty in Beverly Hills and Westside Properties in Los Angeles before concentrating on appraisals. Mary Cummins currently provides real estate appraisals, expert witness testimony, historical research, legal real estate research for mortgage brokers, banks, lawyers, factors, insurance companies, financial consultants and private individuals. Mary Cummins was born and raised in Southern California. Cummins attended Beverly Hills Good Shepherd Catholic School and Beverly Hills High School. Besides being on the Dean's list, Mary Cummins was a top ten national swimmer and competed on the men's water polo team. Mary Cummins began college at the age of 15 attending the University of Southern California on scholarship, majoring in Psychology/Sociology. http://www.animaladvocates.us http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Monday, January 1, 2024

The Undetectables on Discovery Channel featuring Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates

mary cummins, the undetectables, discovery channel, saving dad, animal advocates, squirrel, los angeles, california, tv, series, animal planet, film oasis

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates was on the fourth episode of Discovery Channel's "The Unetectables." Cummins educated the public about squirrels and why they should not be kept as pets. July 27, 2005.

THE UNDETECTABLES

“We’re here to save you from your home”

THE UNDETECTABLES – Premieres on Discovery Channel
The Real Animal House, Monday, July 25 at 4:00 PM ET/PT
Little House of Horrors, Tuesday, July 26 at 4:00 PM ET/PT
Saving Dad, Wednesday, July 27 at 4:00 PM ET/PT
Superheroes of the Gross, Thursday, July 28 at 4:00 PM ET/PT

Visit the Undetectables website for more info!

Every home has a secret. Under the floors, behind the bedroom walls, there is an alien place, populated by millions of creatures–some bizarre… some disgusting… some downright lethal! Welcome to the world of Discovery Channel’s new limited series, THE UNDETECTABLES, premiering March 1 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. In four fast-paced episodes, airing Tuesdays throughout the month, the ground-breaking program uncovers the microscopic and unseen world–everything you were afraid to find out that lives in your home–from germs to bacteria, from salmonella to toxic mold… not to mention the bugs.

Half reality show, half “Fantastic Voyage,” the series employs a dynamic SWAT team for the invisible world – five experts who are charged with seeking out the dangers of a microbial realm that exists right inside our homes. They’ve been called “the Superheroes of the Gross”: PJ Aspuria, the microbiologist; Steve Sandalis, the contractor; Dr. Marc Reidl, specialist in allergens and immunology; Chris Hardie, pest expert; and mold specialist Rich Valdez. Swabbing and testing every room and surface, they use the latest in high-tech gadgetry–from thermal scanners, to the Crimescope forensic light… plus the unparalleled computer graphics of Zoic Studios (the company that creates the special effects for the hit series CSI: Miami).

Investigating from the basement to the rafters, the high-energy experts give home invasions a whole new meaning… From a 100-year-old Arts-and-Crafts Bungalow to a college frat house, THE UNDETECTABLES reveal to the unsuspecting residents the home they never dreamed was there – their real home. Did you know…

That there are 200 times more fecal bacteria on the average person’s cutting board than their toilet seat. In many case, they’d do better to make their sandwiches on top of the toilet seat.
Dust in our homes can be made of up to 80% dust mites- microscopic creatures that feed on the more than one million skin cells we shed each hour.
That every time you flush the toilet, it’s an eruption of microbes… sending a shower of microscopic particles up to 20 feet away… and coating the entire bathroom…
THE UNDETECTABLES… more than just a reality show… a hyper-reality show… bringing to life a world most people didn’t even realize was there….

Produced for Discovery Channel by FilmOasis, Inc. in association with Uncle Film+TV. The program’s executive producers are James McQuillan, Robert Goldberg and Eric Bonniot. For Discovery Channel, Tomi Landis is executive producer.

Here’s a sample episode but not my episode. I was on the episode “Saving Dad,” Wednesday, July 27 at 4:00 PM ET/PT. Dad had leukemia. He had a wife and kids. Their house needed repairs because of his weakened immune system. I was there as a squirrel expert.

The Unetectables Experts

Stills from the episode

THE UNDETECTABLES

"We're here to save you from your home"

Saving Dad

Wayne Smith wants to come home, but he can't... yet...

Wayne, the father of four, was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

That's why the Smiths called in THE UNDETECTABLES. For someone with a compromised immune system, any bacterial infection can be life-threatening.

After days of chemotherapy, Wayne is scheduled to return home from the hospital soon, but what will he find there? From campylobacter in the water to salmonella in the food to mold spores on the ceiling--all can be dangerous, even deadly. And Wayne and Sally Smith's house is always overflowing with activity. It's packed with four teenagers, four cats, a snake, and a domesticated squirrel called Chip, who loves chocolate. On top of all that, the roof is falling apart, and flocks of birds are nesting in the attic. Wayne and his family clearly need the help of THE UNDETECTABLES.

For the Smith family, the stakes couldn't be higher...

Says Sally Smith: "Wayne has no immune system right now. Basically, if he gets a cold or even if he gets a cough - - it's his body that's dangerous to him. 'Cause we're fighting things constantly in our body that his body can't fight off now, because there's no immunities. So, and yeah there's things in here that he's breathing that like you or I would get the sniffles or something. It could potentially put him in the hospital."

For THE UNDETECTABLES, it would be a challenge unlike any other. Says Dr. Marc Reidl, team allergist and immunologist: "The stakes are definitely high. We want to do everything we can to help Wayne. We've got to get in there and find out if there's anything that might be a threat to him."

Over an intense, week-long investigation, the team would subject the house to an eye-popping variety of tests... from infra-red thermal scanning to air sampling to microbiological analysis.

And as the test results came back, there was some alarming news...

It would definitely turn out to be a job for THE UNDETECTABLES...

http://web.archive.org/web/20080219064504/http://www.theundetectables.com/episodes/104.html

Episode Four - Saving Dad

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VIKING INSULATION

CALIFORNIA CAGE WORKS

Wildlife rehab services provided by MARY CUMMINS

104— Saving Dad. A life-changing event has brought THE UNDETECTABLES to the Smith home. Sally's Smith's husband Wayne has been diagnosed with cancer. The chemotherapy treatments for his leukemia is destroying his immune system. Any bacterial infection, even the common cold, could be life-threatening. From campylobacter in the water to salmonella in the food to mold spores on the ceiling--all can be dangerous, even deadly. Wayne is scheduled to return home from the hospital soon, but the Smith house is potential minefield. In a home packed with four teenagers, four cats, a snake, and a domesticated squirrel called Chip—not to mention a roof that's falling apart with birds nesting in the attic--Wayne and his family clearly need help. THE UNDETECTABLES have to find out what's plaguing the Smiths' house and make it safe for Wayne's return.

Mary Cummins LinkedIn

Mary Cummins

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

"Beverly Hills Vet" television series by Animal Planet on Discovery - Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

"Beverly Hills Vet" was a television series made by Animal Planet on the Discovery channel. This episode "Julianne's Choice" was from 2003. Mary Cummins played herself. The star and host is Katrina Warren a veterinarian from Australia. In this jepisode a kind man finds an orphaned baby squirrel, brings it to Mary Cummins who raises it for release back into the wild.

Video will be posted later. Here are some stills.

Mary Cummins Animal Planet Katrina Warren Animal Planet Discovery Channel television series wildlife rehabilitation squirrel rescue Los Angeles, California

* The video is not 100% what actually happened. Some scenes had to be rearranged due to time constraints. Some were reenacted for the same reasons. Sound effects were added in some of the edited parts.

LOS ANGELES, July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- In Animal Planet's new series BEVERLY
HILLS VET, Katrina Warren, the dynamic Australian veterinarian and expert in
animal behavior, lands in Beverly Hills to take viewers on a whirlwind trip
around Los Angeles where she prescribes cures for animals with unimaginable
oddities and meets their equally eccentric families. The biggest challenge
Katrina faces is figuring out if some pets' real problem is the one they can't
shake ... their owners. Viewers learn how Katrina Warren diagnoses these
animal anomalies and if their commanders will obey when she comes to the L.A.
area's rescue in the world premiere of BEVERLY HILLS VET on September 2, 2003
from 8-9 p.m. (ET).

Throughout the series' episodes, Katrina analyzes a parrot that hates his
new owner so much that he uses four-letter words to tell her so and an alpaca
that can't seem to stop banging his head on the wall. She treats "Bitey," the
snake, who lives up to his name and the pampering couple living with "Ribbet,"
the 200-pound pig that needs to visit "Little Orphan Hammies," his favorite
pig camp more often to help him leave is brutish home behavior behind.
Katrina even uses hidden video to spy on a schnauzer that raids the
refrigerator when no ones around to catch him in the act!

Soon after her arrival in California, Katrina is not only faced with the
difficulties of moving to a new place with quite different and unusual people,
but is also confronted with correcting the weird behaviors of exotic pets
she's never seen in her Australian homeland. Katrina is so determined to
offer owners every possible solution to their pet's problems that she ends up
making many human friends along the way. She finds specialists across Los
Angeles, who lend their advice to help her make the best diagnosis. For
example, she meets Ian, the herpetologist who really knows his way around a
snake; and Susie, the pig expert from "Little Orphan Hammies" -- where pigs
without a home find refuge. All in all, Katrina's just the woman to make
people and their pets happier together.

BEVERLY HILLS VET is produced for Animal Planet by Fox TV Studios in
association with Painless Productions. For Fox TV Studios, David Martin is
executive producer. For Painless Productions, Jim Casey and Joe Carolei are
executive producers, Katrina Warren is co-executive producer and Jacqueline
Bender is supervising producer. For Animal Planet, Jeanie Vink is executive
producer and Kelly Lueschow is associate producer.

Animal Planet, available in more than 81 million homes nationwide, is the
only television network dedicated exclusively to the connection between humans
and animals. The network's original programming brings together people of all
ages by tapping into a fundamental fascination with animals and providing an
entertaining mix of programming including original movies, adventure series,
sports, drama and sitcoms. Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery
Communications, Inc., operates and manages the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal
Planet, the Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, and a
family of newer, targeted channels. The unit also distributes BBC America.
Visit Animal Planet on the Web by going to www.discovery.com and clicking on
Animal Planet.

SOURCE Animal Planet

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Squirrel plays with stuffed animal, toys - Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

Google+Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, wildlife, wild, animal, rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife rehabilitator, fish, game, los angeles, california, united states, squirrel, raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, manual, instructor, speaker, humane, nuisance, control, pest, trap, exclude, deter, green, non-profit, nonprofit, non, profit, ill, injured, orphaned, exhibit, exhibitor, usda, united states department of agriculture, hsus, humane society, peta, ndart, humane academy, humane officer, animal legal defense fund, animal cruelty, investigation, peace officer, animal, cruelty, abuse, neglect #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit

Mary Cummins

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Pesticides cause baby squirrels, opossums, raccoons to be born with no eyeballs - Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California, Wildlife Rehabilitation, orphan, baby, babies, squirrel, raccoon, opossum, no eyes, eyeballs, missing, eyes

We've been getting in orphaned squirrels, opossums with missing eyes for quite a few years. The tree squirrels end up with no eyeballs due to pesticide spraying of their nest while the mother is pregnant. The opossums end up with no eyeballs due to mother ingesting snails poisoned with Snarol.

Recently we've been getting in orphaned raccoons missing eyeballs. If they are missing both eyes, they won't survive and must be euthanized. Same with tree squirrels as per the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. We used to keep them in our sanctuary if they were happy. Generally orphans that are born disabled are fine with their disability as it's all they ever knew.

Because the babies are deformed the mothers dump them out of the nest, den to die. Mom can't waste her milk on a baby which will not be able to survive. Sad situation. This of course means more orphans for us to care for.

If the animals has one eye, he can be rehabbed and released. Missing both eyes we now must euthanize as per Fish & Wildlife. Please, help us rescue and release the babies that we can. Thanks.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Squirrel got loose when someone tried to hand her to me. She didn't go far as the door was locked. Mary Cummins Animal Advocates

Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates, los angeles, california, real estate, lawsuit, wildlife, fish, game, appraiser

A woman dropped off a squirrel to me. Woman lost control as she handed it to me. The door is always locked when people drop off animals. Little squirrel didn't go far. I found her hiding in the printer.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Stop the Holley Fire Department "Squirrel Slam" squirrel hunting contest - Animal Advocates

Every year the Holley Fire Department has a squirrel hunting contest called the "Squirrel Slam." Money is raised to support the fire department. The hunt is open to kids and adults to come and kill squirrels. Prizes are given for heaviest squirrels killed. Encouraging kids and adults to kill animals to raise money for charity sets a very bad example. Please, have a non-violent activity to raise funds.

February 21, 2015 Saturday is this year's event date. Yesterday someone filed an injunction to hopefully stop the hunt. The motion will be heard tomorrow Thursday the 19th of February. I will post the hearing outcome. I don't feel too confident with the motion as they are claiming an Environment Review must be done for the hunting contest.

Call to action: Please, call the fire department's non-emergency number and politely ask them to stop the "Squirrel Slam" and have a non-violent fundraiser instead. If they don't pick up, leave a polite message at 585-638-6884. Here is the city website. Email, call, fax a polite message http://www.villageofholley.org/ 585-638-6367 (direct), 585-638-7540 (fax).

The shut down their fire department website this year. Facebook page to stop the hunting contest https://www.facebook.com/pages/STOP-Squirrel-Slam-in-Holley-NY/183371988453687

Stop the Holley Fire Department Hazzard County "Squirrel Slam" hunting contest in New York, February 21, 2015

Stop the Hazzard County Holley Fire Department Squirrel Slam hunting contest this February 21, 2015

Holley Squirrel Slam squirrel hunting contest, February 2015, New York

Mary Cummins

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Today is squirrel appreciation day. Animal Advocates Mary Cummins in Los Angeles, California

Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day! Share these cute squirrel photos and ask your groups to "like" Animal Advocates so we can rescue more squirrels. Thanks!