RB: When did you move to Red Hook from Atlanta, GA?
Dom: We landed here in mid-August of 2023.
RB: What do you do when you are not caring for animals?
Dom: I work in the film industry as a Producer/UPM (Unit Production Manager). At home I work on remodeling our house, and I have a large vegetable garden that needs constant tending. I also love to fish.
RB: When talking to you, it becomes evident quickly that you are a wealth of knowledge. How long have you been a wildlife rehabber?
Dom: All my life. I always had pets and was fascinated with wildlife, especially birds. When I was 10, I did a presentation on a local population of Burrowing Owls for my Audubon chapter, of which I was the youngest member. When I was about 12, I became a junior falconer, and because I had exotics, all the kids in the neighborhood (and their parents) would come across injured or orphaned wildlife and think "Oh, Dom knows what to do." and they would bring me these poor creatures. I had limited knowledge, but after a while experience (and a lot of books from the library, no internet back then) taught me what to do, and I've been doing it ever since.
RB: I understand you were an active rehabber in Atlanta. What were some of the animals you rehabilitated there?
Dom: It was mostly squirrels and passerines (songbirds). I volunteered for a wonderful rescue called Wild Nest Bird Rehab.
RB: Can you share any memorable experiences from your time there?
Dom: There was a young male grey squirrel I named Rocky. He had been attacked by a dog and was in pretty bad shape (punctures and broken bones). I took him to our wildlife vet for triage. After the examination she felt that we should just euthanize him. Having spent the last 24 hours with him, I could see he was a fighter, so I said "let's put him on a course of pain meds and some antibiotics for 7 days, and see. If he starts to go downhill then we'll end it." So, we started him on the meds. He began to show signs of recovery within 2 days, and about 8 weeks later he was soft released in my backyard. He was quite habituated by this time, and came around almost daily to hang out and have treats, for about 2 years. Tough as a coffin nail he was, always chasing off the new young males that would wander into his domain. He loved to sit on the corner post of our cantilevered deck, looking out over his kingdom and he'd chuff. I'm also pretty sure he fathered 90% of the babies that grew up on my block! He was aptly named, and he taught me many valuable lessons that continue to inform my rehab practice.
RB: How and when did you get involved with Ravensbeard?
Dom: About a month after we landed, I started doing internet research and reach outs through Next Door (the app), to find other rehabbers or organizations that I could join up with. Everyone said I needed to reach out to Ellen, so I did, and it was a perfect fit.
RB: Do you see any regional differences between Atlanta and here such as animal species or types of injuries?
Dom: Atlanta is a very arborous city, so it's inundated with squirrels. That was the highest volume species for the rehabbers there. I had been working with Nancy Eilen for a few years, rehabbing passerines, and when she opened Wild Nest, I was there from day one, and that brought more bird experiences. I do think that the Hudson Valley supports a lot more wildlife diversity than the Atlanta area, and because of the focus at Ravensbeard, we're exposed to many more raptor experiences, which I love. As far as the injuries, they're identical (mostly automobile mishaps), but one thing I've seen here that I did not see in Atlanta is the lead poisoning, and it's far too frequent. That stuff should have been eradicated decades ago.
RB: Do you notice any trends in the Hudson Valley based on what you’ve seen here so far?
Dom: Not really. Again, the lead poisoning is frustrating, and I have been surprised at the volume of bird flu cases we've had, especially the cases that have crossed into mammalian species.
RB: Is avian flu a concern? How prevalent is it?
Dom: Yes, I think it's a huge concern. What's most frightening is the frequency of its appearance, and the fact that it's breaking out into other species, beyond the avian world here.
RB: Are you currently caring for animals in your residence? Do you plan to do more?
Dom: I have a full clinic in my basement, and outdoor facilities similar to Ravensbeard (three Retriever 8'x8' kennels with factory roofs). My industry has been terribly slow of late, so I've had more time to devote to rehab and I try to take some of the load off the RB clinic when it gets heavy. Mostly the small patients who require round the clock feeding or meds. That's hard to do with the volunteer schedules. I also help to train the NR (non-releasable) Ambassadors, and that's not something you can do one or two days a week, so quite often they come home with me for a few weeks or months of training (habituation to reduce stress, and falconry techniques to teach them to perch the glove and be handled in most environments).
RB: You took in a barred owl that was hit by a train. You’ve named him Trainwreck and he has been in your care. Tell us a little about how he came to you and how he has adapted.
Dom: Ha! He had the name already. He was brought to RB by one of the rail workers. I saw him the next day in one of the wall cages, and he looked so sad. The wing had been ripped off in the accident, and so he had this protrusion of bone and dried meat (like jerky) sticking out of his left side. I took him with me that day initially so that he could be taken to Rhinebeck Animal Hospital (RAH, Ravensbeard's official vet), as I live just 12 minutes from them. Unfortunately, our doctor wasn't available for 4 days, so Trainwreck just stayed with me, and then the most unusual thing happened. Over the course of the first two days, he performed all the necessary surgery on himself! He trimmed the bone, the muscle, the feathers, everything. I found it all on the bottom of his cage! Dr. Van DeMark (at RAH) is one of the best surgeons I've ever worked with, and it looked like he'd done the job! When we finally took Trainwreck in to see him, he was like "Whoa!". So, he did have some meds prescribed, and over those 10 days, I worked with him to keep the wing from atrophying, and saw how chill and smart he was. I told Ellen, and she asked if he'd make a good Program Bird/Ambassador. I said absolutely, and it was on! He has the perfect disposition and is very smart (although he can also be a dufus). He's been an absolute success. His debut was the 25th Anniversary Gala, and he rocked it like a champ! He was so chill with everybody. It was fantastic.
RB: Are there things you’d like to explore or change as you get deeper into practicing wildlife rehabilitation in the Hudson Valley?
Dom: Yes. I'd like to expand my licensing to include large mammals and possibly Rabies Vector Species. I know of several foxes in my area that are in desperate need of an Ivermectin course to cure their sarcoptic mange, poor things. My son Cooper and I have a dream of purchasing 5 to 10 acres of land and planting it with milkweed, to help sustain the Monarch butterfly population as they pass through. If we ever won the lottery, our dream is to repeat that all along the route, from here to the Mexican border. As always, I think we need more public education on wildlife, especially about contact. So many fledglings and fawns get kidnapped each season because the public is uninformed about what to do if they come into contact with these animals. We'll save more lives and hopefully not be as inundated with intakes if we have a well-informed public.