Charlie

We are thrilled to share that Charlie has been returned to the wild! After a month of tender care and steady recovery, this brave gray squirrel is finally free! But before we celebrate his new start, we want to take a moment to remember the long road that brought him here.

Though a game of chase is fun for a dog, it’s not as much fun for a squirrel. Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, Charlie ended up in the crushing jaws of a dog when the game of chase took a tragic turn. Charlie had been caught and bitten, left immobilized on the pavement. The dog's owner was frantically trying to save his life and contacted our rescue without hesitation. We rushed to collect injured Charlie and take him in for urgent medical treatment.

At the vet clinic, the medical team confirmed that there were thankfully no open cuts from the attack, but poor Charlie was immobile, likely from fear. After several rounds of antibiotics and plenty of time resting, he slowly but surely began to turn a corner. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and Charlie was almost there, but there was one major roadblock…the trees.

As it wasn’t quite spring at the time of Charlie’s rehabilitation, there weren’t any leaves for him to hide in. With no protection from predators or resources to build a nest, we had to patiently wait for the trees to grow in.

Weeks passed, and while Charlie’s recovery was quick, the leaves were taking their sweet time. Slowly, we watched as the seasons changed and the trees began to fill, offering a new hope that soon Charlie would be released. Finally, over a month since the attack, Charlie was released into the wild, fully healed and ready to start his new chapter!

While we are sad to see him go, we are thrilled that Charlie was able to make a full recovery—and it’s all thanks to you! The contributions from the countless members of the CUDDLY community helped us provide Charlie with the life-saving care he needed. His recovery and release wouldn’t have been possible without your support. We can’t thank you enough.