June 07, 2001|By Laura Cadiz | Laura Cadiz,SUN STAFF
In Ted and Velvet Kitzmiller's rented home in Pasadena, a 4-week-old squirrel is recovering after a fall from its nest. During multiple daily feedings, it eagerly grasps a bottle the size of a syringe with its tiny claws.
The Kitzmillers say the squirrel needs to stay at least six more weeks to recover, but the couple - who run Noah's Ark Wildlife Center Inc. and care for scores of creatures there - don't have that much time. Their landlord wants her family to live in the house and has notified them that they need to move out by July 1.
"This was not expected," said Velvet Kitzmiller, 37. "You just can't take 200 animals and move them."
The Kitzmillers have been operating their nonprofit organization from the house at 45 Luke Drive since 1995. The center, by their estimate, has rehabilitated more than 10,000 injured or orphaned native Maryland creatures, including flying squirrels, owls, turtles, opossums, blue herons and rabbits.
Animals are brought to the center by people who find them injured or on the road. The baby squirrel was brought in by an Arnold woman who found it in her yard. The center also receives referrals from the Department of Natural Resources, animal control agencies and veterinarians.
The Kitzmillers are afraid that some of the animals under their care may have to be euthanized if they can't quickly relocate. They said some animals may be ready for release before they have to move, and some could go to other facilities, but there aren't spaces to house all of them.
When they moved into the home eight years ago, the Kitzmillers said, they knew that owner Jean Kahrs wanted to turn the home over to her family eventually. But they didn't think it would happen so soon.
Kahrs said yesterday that she feels bad about the situation and has scoured classified ads looking for a new home for the Kitzmillers.
"It's just unfortunate that this had to happen, but my niece lives in California, and she wants to get back here so bad," Kahrs said.
Ted Kitzmiller, 39, said he has no leads on possible locations for a new home, despite help from real estate agents and animal groups. He said they need at least 4 acres, ideally in Pasadena or elsewhere in the county, but the only properties of that size are too expensive. He said they found a "perfect site," but it carries a price tag of $750,000.
"If there's some guardian angel or someone who needs a huge tax deduction, it's not impossible," he said. "But we're not counting on it, obviously."
County Council Chairwoman Shirley Murphy, a Pasadena Democrat, said she has asked the county's chief administrative officer, Jerome W. Klasmeier, to look for surplus property in Anne Arundel where the Kitzmillers could live and operate their center.
"I feel optimistic about it," Murphy said.
Velvet Kitzmiller said the move is occurring during their busiest time of year: Most animals produce offspring during the early summer months, which leads to more animals being brought in to the center. Older animals that don't have severe injuries can sometimes be released within 24 hours, but younger animals can take weeks to recover, she said.
Of moving, she said: "We can't even begin to figure out how to do this."
Two bedrooms and one bathroom in the one-story ranch-style home are used exclusively for the Kitzmillers and their 14-year-old daughter, Jessica. The rest is dedicated to operating Noah's Ark.
One bedroom was converted into a medical room. The center's office is in the living room. Baby squirrels and rabbits are housed in the dining room, while birds and ducks stay in the basement. In the back yard and garage, squirrels, opossums and birds are caged.
The center operates with a minimal budget and staff, consisting of five regular volunteers. The center charges no fee and relies on donations and an annual grant from the William Snyder Foundation for Animals. Last year, the center operated on less than $25,000, the Kitzmillers said.
The family pays rent of $900, and Ted Kitzmiller supports them with his part-time plumbing job.
The Kitzmillers are not veterinarians. But they've received rehabilitation training and have attended veterinary technician classes at Anne Arundel Community College. Area veterinarians also offer their services for free.
Dr. Amy Holstein, a Crofton veterinarian , volunteers at Noah's Ark for 10 to 20 hours a week. She has helped diagnose lead poisoning in a duck and amputate an opossum's leg after it was mauled. She said veterinarians throughout the county often refer wildlife to the center because of its reputation for good care.
"If they have to shut their doors, it's going to be a tragedy for the community," Holstein said.
The Kitzmillers started rehabilitating animals 12 years ago after Ted worked as a plumber for the Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary in Bowie, and Velvet soon started volunteering there.
They began caring for animals at their home after word spread that they worked at the Bowie sanctuary, and their efforts evolved into formally creating Noah's Ark six years ago.
"We started out so small; we didn't expect this thing to take off like it has," Ted Kitzmiller said. "It's grown from about 100 animals a year to now close to 2,000 a year."
And they don't want to have to shut their doors. "There's not enough money to just relocate, and leased property is hard to come by," he said. "We're stuck."
Donations may be sent to Noah's Ark at P.O. Box 1041, Pasadena 21123-1041. The telephone number is 410-255-9233.
