Dug’s Story – Giving Challenge 2026
Dug’s Story
Sometimes the greatest harm comes from trying to help.
Dug looks like a squirrel you might see in your own backyard, the kind that moves quickly through the trees and disappears the moment you get too close. But Dug doesn’t run from people. He runs toward them.
For the first two years of his life, Dug was raised as a pet. He was fed by hand, handled daily, and taught, without anyone realizing it, that people were safe. By the time he arrived at Peace River Wildlife Center, he had lost something he could never get back: his wild instincts.
Dug was fully imprinted. He did not know how to find food on his own or recognize danger, and he no longer saw humans as something to avoid.
In the wild, instincts are everything. Without them, survival is not possible. Dug could not be released.
Dug is not alone. Right now, there are six animals at our Education Center living with the same outcome, not because of injury, but because of human imprinting. Squirrels, turtles, and even a mallard have all been brought to us after being raised or handled too closely by people.
In most cases, it begins with good intentions. Someone finds a baby animal and wants to help, and in trying to care for it, they unknowingly take away the one thing that animal needs most: the ability to live as wild.
Today, Dug has a safe place to live, but his life is not the one he was meant to have. Instead of surviving on his own in the wild, he lives as a permanent resident, helping people understand the impact human interaction can have on wildlife.
At Peace River Wildlife Center, we care for animals like Dug every day. They need proper nutrition, safe habitat, and ongoing care for the rest of their lives.
#BeTheOne
#BeTheOne who supports animals that can never return to the wild.
#BeTheOne who helps provide safe habitat, nutrition, and daily care.
#BeTheOne who helps protect wildlife through education.
Saving one animal won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal.
