2024 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 11
Addison
McCool
AddisonMcCool
Branch is a young Egyp}an fruit bat
with a sad story of survival. He was purchased from the cruel exo}c pet trade,
along with three other fruit bats, by an
individual in Virginia. The person who
bought the bats then went on
vaca}on and paid someone to pet-sit.
However, the pet-si琀琀er never showed
up, leaving the bats trapped in a cage,
without food and water. Aver arriving
home, the owner discovered three bats
deceased in the cage, with Branch,
clinging to life, being the lone survivor.
He rushed Branch to a veterinary clinic
where a wonderful veterinary technician convinced the owner to surrender
the bat. The technician took Branch
home and cared for him, bringing him
back to health. During this }me, the
technician’s daughter fell in love with
the sweet bat, who liked to cling to one
par}cular branch, so she named him
Branch.
We arrangements to drive to Virginia
and bring Branch to Bat World Sanctuary. He arrived safely, and despite being afraid, he allowed caregivers to
gently remove him from his transport
carrier and give him a full examina}on. He was undersized for his age,
something common in bats from the
pet trade as they are oven taken away
from their mothers far too young.
Aver his checkup, we transferred
Branch to our quaran}ne enclosure to
await neutering. Once healed, he was
allowed to join the general popula}on
in the large indoor-outdoor fruit bat
enclosure where he met dozens of
rescued friends with similar stories.
With us, Branch will never see the inside of a birdcage, or be without food,
and water, or friends, ever again.
11
