I worked at the middle school today,, allowing me an early walk with the entire pack along my old ATV route. Minnie stayed in the Honda, but Sadie trotted along as if she were ten years old again.
It was a cool morning, and I managed two miles, going pass the construction area. The cement truck was gone. No one was there today (no construction crew) so I got in closer to see what had been poured. Right now there's just a cement foundation, but next to the foundation is a water tank and trough. I also saw and heard cows mooing! WTH?!?! Why have cattle so close to a paved road? The pups jumped into the trough, drank some water, and then took chase of the cows. Oh great, just what I need! Having cattle in that area, that for years had been untouched desert, is going to be so hard to get used to. That cattle will be right next to a housing area, too.
To add to the excitement, Sweetie came running to me with something in her mouth. We were on pavement now, heading east. Oh great, another bird I thought. No, it was a very young desert cottontail scared out of its wits, small enough to fit in my palm. This little critter would stand no chance against a predator. It was alive and unharmed but slobbered with dog spit. I am always amazed at how fatalistic rodents are when in the face of death. The little female was frozen in fear. Sweetie let me take the frightened animal out of her mouth and I walked the rest of the path with the little furball in my left hand.
I let the dogs drink at the trough, then went back the way I came, swerved down to the ruins before going back to the car and driving home. I wanted to let the little cottontail relax in peace once I got back home. I fed it some coffee cream (the high carbs can give a dehydrated animal fast energy) but it wouldn't drink. I placed her in one of my cages in the shade in the front yard, gave it a small can of water and a carrot and placed a few bricks over the cage to make it harder for a feral cat to knock over the cage.
The little cottontail was alive when I got home at 4:30pm and I checked on it again late at night. It was alert. I know I need to set it free, but I really want it to get bigger and fatter before I let it go again. We are in the fall cottontail season and there are plenty of young rabbits and hares running around the desert right now. Many of them will become a meal for a hungry raptor or snake , but I want this little girl to at least be safe for a few days. I won't name her, as naming an animal makes me get attached to it.
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President Trump and his wife came down with the coronavirus, it was announced this morning. The White House speculates they got it during a crowded Rose Garden event in which Trump announced his selection for the Supreme Court, a very far-right conservative judge, Amy Coney Barrett. His close senior advisor, Hope Hicks, announced she had the virus Thursday evening. I'm sure more WH personnel will come down with the virus, especially since Trump is against wearing face masks as that makes him look weak and fearful of the virus. He was flown to Walter Reed Military Hospital later today
AZ cases: 209, 209 Cochise County: 1922
AZ deaths: 5273 Cochise County deaths: 73
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