Nathania Gartman

Legacy of Love

Some of Nathania's favorite programs:

Intern on a Mission

Lindsay Wetzler, of Orange, California, is majoring in wildlife biology, and has a special interest in what she calls "the natural path of medicines." She's been working with some of the complementary medicines such as flower essences, herbs, and supplements that we use at our licensed Wild Friends rehabilitation facility.

Lindsay got to see the value of using these treatments with three wild birds here.

Little Meadowlark had been found at a local golf course after falling and injuring herself. Within a few days of proper food, supplements, and treatment, the little bird was doing well enough to be happily released back at the golf course. "She flew up to a tree," reports Lindsay, "and was soon singing with the other Meadowlarks."

Goldie, a Lesser Goldfinch, came to Best Friends as an injured fledgling, who had been found flopping around under a tree. She had a broken wing and would not be able to survive in the wild. Goldie received a license to live at the sanctuary as an educational bird  part of a program to teach young people to respect wildlife.

"But since then," says Lindsay, "her wing healed. It was quite amazing. Goldie actually began to fly." So, she's now been released, along, with an American Goldfinch with whom she's become buddies.

Last to be released was a little baby hummingbird, who had been found by an Arizona woman who had been trimming shrubbery and had accidentally thrown the nest away. Baby hummingbirds eat every 15 minutes, but the woman didn't notice the nest until 24 hours later. She rushed the baby (still in its nest) to the sanctuary, for special feedings with baby hummingbird formula. (FYI: Sugar water is for adult hummingbirds only; babies can't survive off of this.) Now he's gone back to the wild, too.

In the Classroom

"I think he's happy!" cries out one of the little girls, pointing excitedly at a jumping horse. The class, along with some of the parents, is visiting from Fredonia Elementary, about 25 miles from Best Friends. Humane education staffer Cathie Myers is delighted. She's been visiting them for five months, teaching lessons in "Animal Kindness and Caring." Those lessons seem to have sunk in!

"That's right," she says, "Remember how we learned that animals have feelings? Try to imagine what else theyre feeling right now." The children give the matter a great deal of thought.

When introduced to the cats, all of the children instinctively and in unison begin to meow! "Pretty kitties!" they say between attempts to communicate in the cats' own language. It seems these children have not only come to understand that animals have feelings, but that animals have their own language, too.

Workshops at the Sanctuary

Five times a year, Best Friends invites people to take an intensive look at what it takes to run a successful non-profit animal organization. It's one of the many workshops that Nathania created. These hands-on seminars last a full week and are limited to small group. Here are some recent attendees:

Susie Hoeppli, founder of the Big Buddy Horse Rescue Foundation in Rifle, Colorado, who's ready to expand her facility and learn the ropes of fund raising.

Dave and Marya Keegan, who are planning a sanctuary for pets that are left behind by military personnel. Dave himself is in the Navy.

Georgina Carney from New Jersey, a 26-year-old who wants to start her own pet resort/bed and breakfast/homeless pet sanctuary in upstate New York with her mother.

Craig and Joy Nadel, who have been rescuing dogs for two years, and are now ready to take the next step: buying a piece of property and making it a sanctuary.

Workshop sessions include the basics of sanctuary vet care, how to manage animals, how to manage money, how to take good animal photos, how to raise funds and avoid legal risks, how to relate to the media, and how to relate to all the people who call with urgent pleas for help. The class also got to enjoy some relaxation in the red rock canyons, surrounded by all of our own Best Friends animals!

For more information on these continuing workshops, e-mail humane.ed@bestfriends.org.

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