Berkeley's Place

Gosling season is upon us! 🪿

Canada Goose parents are devoted caregivers and mate for life. While Mom incubates her eggs for about 25–28 days, Dad stands guard nearby, watching for predators and helping protect the nest.

Within just a day or two of hatching, the fluffy goslings are already on the move, following their parents from the nest to the water where they begin learning how to feed and navigate the world around them.

In urban areas, however, geese sometimes choose nesting sites on rooftops, balconies, or other elevated spaces. While these locations may seem safe from predators, they can create a dangerous challenge once the goslings hatch — the babies may not be able to safely reach the ground or nearby water on their own.

If you encounter a goose family in distress, remember to keep your distance. Protective parents may become defensive, and well-meaning interference can sometimes cause more harm than good.
Contact WILDNorth if assistance is needed with safe relocation.

Wishing all the little goslings a safe journey to the water this spring! 💛

Thank you Pet Valu Fort Saskatchewan for another amazing load of goodies!! This load was sent off to our friends at ZOE's Animal Rescue Society!

It's Behind the Scenes Sunday!

“Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree it can create secondary traumatic stress for the helper.”
— Dr. Charles Figley, Ph.D., Florida State University Traumatology Institute

Compassion fatigue is not the same as burnout, although the two can absolutely co-exist.

Burnout can happen in any profession. It is a cumulative process marked by emotional exhaustion, withdrawal, increased workload, and ongoing institutional stress. Burnout itself is not trauma-related.

Compassion fatigue, however, is unique to those working with traumatized or suffering populations — including animal rescue workers, veterinarians, social workers, healthcare professionals, and first responders.

So what causes compassion fatigue?

🐾 Constant exposure to trauma and suffering
🐾 Trying to do everything possible with limited resources
🐾 Working in professions that are often misunderstood and underappreciated
🐾 Being in the heartbreaking position of sometimes having to end the lives of the very animals you are committed to saving
🐾 Navigating criticism, hostility, finger-pointing, and unrealistic expectations from the public

One of the most important things we can do is practice self-awareness.

Self-awareness begins with education — not only learning about stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue, but also learning about ourselves, our emotional limits, and where our boundaries need to exist.

To all the rescuers struggling quietly behind the scenes:
Please remember that you cannot save every animal if you destroy yourself and your relationships in the process.

Ask for help before you reach the breaking point.
Delegate to volunteers.
See a counselor.
Learn to say no without guilt.
Spend money on something you need for once.
Rest.

Your value as a human being is not measured solely by how many animals you save.

And to those remarkable individuals who somehow manage to balance rescue, relationships, work, and self-care — thank you. Your ability to continue showing up with compassion is extraordinary.

Perhaps one day society will recognize that irresponsibility toward animals does not only lead to neglect, suffering, overpopulation, and the euthanasia of healthy animals.

It also hurts people.
And sometimes, it destroys lives.

🚨 OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEKEND 🚨

Tired of looking at beige flip houses with the personality of a waiting room? Perfect. Come see ours.

This home has:
✨ Real character
✨ Enough space to hide from your children/spouse/in-laws
✨ Pre-loved flooring courtesy of our dogs
✨ Oak cabinetry that survived every trend cycle and is apparently “vintage” now.

And YES — we’re offering a $7,500 buyer improvement incentive so you can update the things your mother-in-law will immediately insult after possession day.

The security system includes cameras covering the front door, backyard, and garage pad — ideal for safety, package thieves, and technically for security… but also excellent for casually monitoring neighborhood drama.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY:
If you buy our house, you are directly supporting our dream of moving to the country where we can:
🐾 Get more rescue dogs
🐾 Start a completely reasonable “small sanctuary” that will spiral out of control within 6 months
🐾 Say things like “we’re fostering” while accidentally keeping every animal
🐾 Own at least one goat with behavioral issues
🐾 Finally have enough land for the misfit animals society gave up on and the feral raccoon my husband says I’m not allowed to rehab

Honestly, this isn’t just buying a house.
It’s enabling a rescue person’s descent into full rural animal chaos.
Come wander through the house pretending you’re on HGTV.
Open every closet.
Critique the paint colors.

📍 OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEKEND
🏡 House is cleaner than it has ever been in its entire existence
🍪 Snacks probably
💸 Interest rates are scary but so is renting forever