GULFPORT, Miss. – One of the most interesting aspects of being in the Navy is meeting people from all walks of life. The skills Sailors learn in their rate, along with their own personal interests can mix into some wonderful opportunities for Sailors. Such is the case with Equipment Operator First Class Petty Officer (SCW) Douglas Pojeky.
Pojeky joined the Navy from Michigan in 1994, and has deployed all over the world to include Bosnia and Iraq in his 20-year career and is set to retire this December. Having been a Seabee his entire career, Pojeky spent the majority of his time in Gulfport and has built a life here for when he retires.
Like many servicemen, Pojeky’s dedication to his country doesn't stop when he takes off his uniform. Pojeky is also the president of the nonprofit organization, Wild at Heart Rescue, which is the largest wildlife animal rescue and rehabilitation center in Mississippi.
He discovered this passion for wildlife while temporary assigned to the Public Works department at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) in Gulfport when he volunteered to assist with the base’s Earth Day celebration.
In 2010, Pojeky contacted Missy Dubuisson, a local wildlife rescue worker and the soon-to-be director of Wild at Heart Rescue, to speak during the celebration. From there, they became friends, and eventually a partnership arose.
“I was bringing in a bobcat, and I need a place to put him,” recalls Dubuisson. In need of a Seabee, she knew who to call. “I knew Doug could create the perfect enclosure, so I called him up and told him, ‘get over here right now, I need a cage built immediately!’”
Pojeky happily met her that day, and constructed the bobcat’s enclosure. From that day forward, they began working together.
In 2012, they founded the Wild at Heart Rescue.
Wild at Heart Rescue is an organization that specializes in rescuing wild animals, rehabilitating them, and releasing them back into the wild. This has become more than a full time job with an unexpectedly busy year for the Rescue. The yearly projection estimated 1,200 animal patients would come though the rescue. They have nearly doubled that mark with already over 2,300 animals as of Oct. 1.
"We have taken in animals from 71 of the 82 counties in Mississippi, and from 85 different cities," explains Pojeky.
The unseen rise in animals coming through the rescue is due to the increased awareness of what the rescue does for the community. When Pojeky isn't nursing animals back to health, he stays busy visiting schools and festivals, promoting his cause.
“Last year, we put on 243 educational programs,” says Pojeky. "As word gets out, people from all over have been calling when they find injured animals."
Pojeky puts lots of emphasis on the educational programs and says the most rewarding part of the experience has been teaching the children. "It's great to be able to change a child's life by giving them proper information and empowering them to get interested in something other than video games."
Not only do the children get information on how to call in and report an injured animal, but also on some of the superstitions surrounding certain animals. The opossum is one of the rescue’s favorite patients.
"Possums are misunderstood. People have the idea that they are a rabid, nuisance animal, which just isn't the case," says Pojeky. "Their body temperature is actually two degrees too low for the rabies virus, so it’s exceptionally rare to ever see a rabid one.”
Working out of his home, Pojeky transformed his yard into a diverse animal rehabilitation center. He built enclosures for the animals where they can get the treatment they need to be released back into the wild. The facility can holds a huge variety of animals, from injured Bald Eagles, orphaned bobcats, baby turtles and venomous snakes.
"Right now, we probably have 150 animals on site that we're caring for,” says Pojeky. "Although during baby season, we can easily have over 300 at any given time."
There isn’t an animal too large or too small that won’t find help at the Wild at Heart Rescue.
The Rescue relies on the community for support and donations.
To find out more about the Wild at Heart Rescue contact them via their website: http://www.wildatheartrescue.org/index.html or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WildatHeartRescue
| Date Taken: | 10.10.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2014 14:19 |
| Story ID: | 146182 |
| Location: | GULFPORT, MS, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NCG2 Sailor dedicated to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, by PO3 Lawrence Romang, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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