Squirreltopia Wildlife Rescue and Sanctuary

05/26/2026

04/29/2026

It's almost a repeat of what I preach! ❤️

One of the phrases that I hate the most.

“Let nature take its course.”

If there ever was an absolutely asinine, passive, responsibility-shirking phrase, this would be it.

99% of the injured and orphaned wildlife that we take in as wildlife rehabilitators are not due to “natural causes.”

Most are a direct response to human overdevelopment, encroachment on natural habitats, irresponsible ignorance pertaining to the patterns of native wildlife, pets being loose and catching unsuspecting victims, poisoning, vehicular strikes, irresponsible tree trimming, inadvertent kidnappings (specifically pertaining to white-tailed deer fawns), and the list goes on.

In and of itself, apart from human interference, nature does a pretty good job of regulating itself.

If squirrels become over-abundant in one area, hawks will move in and hunt them. If a rat colony takes up residence in a chicken coop and their population booms, a rat snake will soon become privy to the situation.

But that balance falls apart when the scales are tipped by us.

When an opossum is hit by a car, that’s not “nature taking its course.”

When a litter of raccoon kits is pulled from an attic during baby season and discarded without a second thought, that’s not nature " taking its course".

When a fledgling songbird is snatched by an outdoor cat, or a nest is shredded by a landscaping crew who didn’t bother to check, or a turtle is crushed trying to cross a road we built straight through its habitat…none of that is natural selection at work.

That’s human impact, plain and simple.

We see it in every species.

Fawns brought in because well-meaning people assumed they were abandoned.

Squirrels with skull fractures after falling from trees that were cut mid-nesting season.

Opossums full of buckshot or secondary rodenticide poisoning.

Rabbits whose nests were destroyed by mowers, domestic cats or domestic dogs.

Even our precious predators (hawks, owls, foxes) coming in emaciated or injured because the ecosystems they rely on have been chipped away piece by piece.

“Letting nature take its course” would mean stepping back BEFORE the harm is done.

It would mean preserving habitats, keeping cats indoors, leashing dogs, checking for nests before cutting trees, slowing down on roads where wildlife is active, and educating ourselves about the animals we share this space with.

Because once the damage is done (once that animal is injured, orphaned, poisoned, or displaced by something we caused) walking away and calling it “nature” isn’t respect for the wild. It is irrefutable avoidance of responsibility. 💔

02/27/2026

While other children played and chatted, she sat in silence, feeling every sound and touch with an intensity that most people could never imagine. At age two, doctors diagnosed her with autism and suggested she be sent to an institution. In 1947, such a diagnosis was often seen as a dead end, a life sentence of isolation.

However, her mother fought back against the system, choosing to believe in Temple’s potential and dedicating herself to teaching her how to talk, write, and navigate a world that wasn’t built for her.

Temple’s breakthrough didn’t come from human textbooks alone, but from the quiet company of animals. On the farms near her home, she noticed something profound: cattle and horses reacted to the world exactly like she did. They were easily spooked by sudden movements, high-pitched noises, and shadows. While others saw “dumb animals,” Temple saw kindred spirits who processed the world through pictures and sensory feelings rather than words.

Temple Grandin realized that because she “thought in pictures,” she could see exactly what was scaring the livestock in chutes and pens—things as simple as a yellow coat hanging on a fence or a reflection in a puddle.

This unique perspective allowed her to revolutionize an entire industry. After studying zoology and engineering, she became a world-renowned scientist and a pioneer in animal welfare. She designed curved loading chutes and calming systems that reduced fear and pain for millions of animals. Today, more than half of the cattle facilities in the United States use her designs.

She proved that being “different” wasn’t a defect to be fixed, but a specialized gift that allowed her to solve problems that “normal” brains couldn’t even see. Her life’s work taught us that the way we treat the most vulnerable creatures among us reflects the very heart of our humanity.

Temple Grandin’s legacy is a bridge between two worlds. She showed us that a mind that works differently is not a broken mind, but a different kind of intelligence. Through her books and lectures, she has inspired millions of families to see autism not as a tragedy, but as a different way of being.

Now a professor at Colorado State University, she stands as a living testament to the power of empathy. She transformed her greatest challenges into her greatest strengths, proving that when we stop trying to “fix” people and start trying to understand them, we unlock a world of brilliance that would otherwise be lost to the shadows.

This is the incredible story of Temple Grandin, a woman who didn’t just find her voice—she became a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

>We Are Human Angels<
Authors
Awakening the Human Spirit
We are the authors of 'We Are Human Angels,' the book that has spread a new vision of the human experience and has been spontaneously translated into 14 languages by readers.

We hope our writing sparks something in you!

02/25/2026

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Seacrest Wolf Preserve, Inc. 501(c)3 Nonprofit Located in C… Lindsey Alsobrooks needs your support for Don't Let the HOWL Go Silent- Save Seacrest Wolf Preserve

02/25/2026

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