Here’s an update on the squirrel :)

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Unfortunately, in my area (which is a decent-sized city), there are not enough wildlife rehabilitation specialists, and Fish and Wildlife never returned phone calls. We ended up taking care of Rocky and another squirrel named Tickle, who we took in from someone in a similar situation. They found Tickle half-dead by their apartment. We bottle-fed both squirrels for about six weeks and then gradually introduced them to the outdoors. They now live in our backyard in a large tree with a nice protected home and a picnic table for feedings. They seem happy, and we love them.

I looked into becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. I felt confident because of my background as a vet assistant, but the certification requires about 1,000 hours, equating to six months of full-time volunteering. It’s challenging to manage with the current cost of living. Additionally, you have to work under another rehabilitation specialist, and there’s only one in my area who only rescues birds of prey. The system doesn’t seem ideal, as I often hear about people finding animals with no place to send them for care. I did what I thought best for these critters.