In 1991, Virginia Frati was on her way home from her job as a secretary with the Dept. of Public Works in Yaphank when she saw a woodchuck hit by a car in front of her. The animal was not killed and was writhing in pain by the side of the road. She pulled over and approached the injured animal. It did not appear to be mortally wounded and she thought it could be helped.
Ginnie called a local veterinarian and was told she should contact a wildlife rehabilitator. With a hopeful heart she dialed the number she was given. An answering machine informed her of the numbers of other rehabilitators in the area. After leaving a frantic call for help, Virginia dialed each number, only to receive a similar message. She left a detailed call for help on each tape. After ten dollars of quarters were expended, she realized that no help for the woodchuck was coming. She sat next to the suffering animal until it finally died.
Suddenly Virginia could clearly see the hardships animals endure in the wild. That’s when she vowed to do something to alleviate the suffering of nature’s wild creatures.
Virgina was inspired to start her own rescue after realizing how little resources were available for struggling animals facing hardships.
