DCHS’s Wildlife Center is lucky to have an incredible group of dedicated, knowledgeable, and inspiring people, like Emily Temte, a year-round Wildlife Receptionist staff member and former seasonal Wildlife Assistant. DCHS’s Wildlife Center does not have the staff or resources to go to the scene to collect injured, sick, or orphaned wild animals because we are focused on the patients currently at the facility. But Emily agreed to take this challenge head-on after discussing options with members of leadership. 

Over the years, Emily has volunteered to rescue various species of animals off-site from DCHS, often using her own time and resources to help those in need because of who she is and how much she cares about this program’s purpose. While formal numbers suggest that she (alone) has assisted in bringing over 100 animals to DCHS’s Wildlife Center since 2014, this number likely under-represents her true contribution to local wildlife rescues. Records prior to 2014 are not electronic, so it is safe to say her numbers may be doubled based on the time that Emily has been on our team! 

Emily’s rescue efforts have become even more vital after Public Health Madison & Dane County notified DCHS’s Wildlife Center in mid-July 2024 that their Animal Service Officers (ASOs) would no longer pick up any sick, injured, or orphaned wild animals reported by community members unless they were deemed a “true or significant risk to health and human safety.”

Emily, being one of our very few on-call rescue team volunteers, has completed at least six successful waterfowl reuniting attempts herself in 2025, putting orphaned ducklings back with their parents after being stranded on rooftop nests or trapped in courtyards after hatching. To date, her total includes 57 ducklings saved and reunited with their four individual mothers, three situations that are still pending an outcome, and one circumstance that failed due to unique complexities around the nesting location. However, Emily has not only intervened to save the lives of dozens of ducklings already this year, but she has rescued a whole host of other specialty birds on behalf of DCHS’s Wildlife Center. 

On June 28th, 2025, DCHS’s Wildlife Center reception volunteer Laura received a call about a young Herring Gull (HERG), reported by the public to be caught in a tree. The gull was trapped in some kind of litter, dangling by its legs 40 feet in the air, unable to free itself. After discussing the case with Emily, Laura was most concerned about the absence of ASOs and knew the gull might not be rescued. Together, Laura and Emily agreed that more extreme measures might be warranted and did their best to find outside help. Emily contacted Madison Fire Department Ladder Co. 1, who agreed to team up with DCHS’s Wildlife Center. Emily immediately set-out to consult with their fire fighters and offer on-the-ground assistance plus transportation.

“A finder had noticed the bird and called DCHS’s Wildlife Center (volunteer Laura took the call), and I then contacted the fire department via the non-emergency police line," recalls Emily. "I was so surprised that they were willing and available to assist! The call came into us at about 4:30 pm, and the gull was at the Wildlife Center by 6:30 pm, so it was a pretty incredible turn-around time.” 

HERG #25-1496 suffered a severe, one-centimeter diameter wound on its right tibiotarsus that exposed a tendon and caused severe swelling around the hock joint. While the bird was given pain medications, antibiotics, wound care, and expert treatment from our licensed rehabilitators and consulting veterinarians, the bird developed a deep joint infection that resulted in humane euthanasia two weeks later. While this is a sad story with an unfortunate outcome, it demonstrates strong collaboration between different local organizations, heroics on behalf of fire fighters, wildlife rehabilitators, and rescuers, and significant consideration towards animal welfare. This gull did not remain in that tree, nor did it endure undue pain and stress or succumb to mortality, all because of the care and compassion brought together by all those involved, freeing him from a deathly entrapment.