On the way home today, I stopped at my mother-in-law's home to take her to lunch. When we got back, she wanted to show me the new plants she had added to her garden (which is lovely and I'm extremely jealous, LOL!).
Their lab, Pepper, was running around outside, being silly, but she kept stopping at a big shrub near the side of the house and sniffing around, then backing up. This is Pepper's favourite spot to cool off in the summer -- she dug a big hole under the overhanging branches of the shrub and loves to sleep in there.
We watched her do this several times, then I looked under the shrub. I saw several tiny furry somethings on the far side, so I went around the other side to get a better look. Unfortunately, the furry somethings were baby rabbits and they were dead. Poor things had already been set upon by flies and wasps.
Then, I saw something move in Pepper's "nest". One of the babies was still alive! I asked my MIL for some gloves, then gently picked him up. He seemed okay, no visible injuries, but already had maggot eggs on his head and bum. I picked off all the eggs and made him a nest in a flower pot, using an old dish towel.
I raced home and gave the baby to Wildlife in Crisis: http://www.wildlifeincrisis.com/index.htm
The techs told me that the baby was only two days old and probably wouldn't have survived another hour outside, due to the heat with no protection from Mom Rabbit and the flies/wasps. They also told me that about 85% of the small animals and birds that they receive for treatment are injured by indoor/outdoor cats. Cats generally "play" with wildlife and rarely eat them, instead just leaving them injured or dead. I've seen my neighbors' cats do this and it infuriates me every time. Last trip to WIC was with a partially-paralyzed chipmunk that I rescued from one of the cats. Poor thing was euthanized due to his injuries.
Anyway, "Humphrey" should survive with no problems and will be released onto the sanctuary in a few months!
I didn't have my camera handy, but I found this pic online and it looks exactly like Humphrey. Humphrey has a white blaze on his forehead, though.