Demand that Wildlife Agencies Respond to ALL ANIMALS in Need of Aid, NOW!

Pax was a juvenile Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) who was found in my community's swamp marshes. This place is not his home, nor a species that is commonly seen in this area; Pax was hurt or ill and needed help, but was blatantly ignored by SEVERAL facilities and left him/her to DIE at my place. His/Her species is classified as "least concerned" now by the IUCN, and apparently it was enough of an inconvience for these facilities to feel 'least concerned' about his/her pleas for a rescue.  

Below is a list of all the facilities/agencies I contacted that claim to specialize in rescuing and rehabilitating ALL birds or wildlife in his/her condition:

• Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission

• Marine Science Center

• East Coast Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

• Deland Emergency Animal Hospital

We were lazily just referred to each of them in a big circle; we had one tell us half-what that Pax may of been suffering from frostbitten feet and that would someone would come out. We waited FOUR HOURS for someone, and not a sign or call from this agency. We then contacted the others who did NOTHING for Pax, until we were referred to the Deland Emergency Hospital. This hospital then told us to contact a "Tom" person who would assist us with Pax. This number was a dead-aired line that was not in service.

After SIX HOURS we had no contact from ANY of the facilities that we contacted. We decided to call the Marine Science Centre one last time in a desperate attempt to save Pax. We did not even have a live person on the line by this second attempt. We had a recording that stated WE must capture, cage and transport Pax OURSELVES to THEIR facility, THEN they would give him aid; this was IMPOSSIBLE for us. Pax was probably 30 - 40lbs { excluding any added weight to whatever was ailing him/her at the time } and we did not have a cage even REMOTELY big enough to put him in nor the transportation to carry him to the facility. We also do not know where this rescue facility IS, this is why we specifically CALLED THEM, because THEY had the proper things needed for Pax. 

The next morning, we immediately got up to try and start Day 2 of Pax's rescue after the facilities ignored him, but he/she was gone; he/she had passed away alone from his flock. Starving, cold, sick/hurt, and probably terrified. Sadly, we do not even know what exactly was wrong with Pax, it could have been poisoning, an infected injury, frostbitten feet, hypothermia, plastic ingestion, etc. 

Pax's death could have been prevented, he/she could have easily been rescued by ANY of these facilities and returned back to his/her home again to eat fish, fly free and enjoy the ocean once more, but instead he/she was treated with this abhorrent act of negligence. Like his/her namesake, Pax is now at peace, finally away from the suffering he/she was forced to endure because these agencies refused to hear his/her pleas for help. 

It is disturbing to think that Pax was just another victim to this negligence, that hundreds, maybe even thousands of other wildlife species have suffered in this way. Is it because of how "conveniently" these animals decided to locate when needing aid? Is it because of their IUCN rating that makes them act differently, or a massive outbreak? Was it because only 3 of us called, REPEATEDLY? Sadly this may very well be the reality. Maybe if thousands more like Pax had die-off or if I had a giant army of callers at the time of his/her need, they would have finally taken action. But because neither of these were the case, they did not even care, and this type of thinking is completely unacceptable!!! 

Please sign and share this petition and DEMAND not only justice for Pax, but that they actually do their JOBS to rescue, protect, and serve the animals as they claim and act ACCORDINGLY when a person calls!!