Otter News Archive

Flooding take its toll on non-human lives

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5th May 2010

Jake Lowary

The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Tennessee, USA

Bob Grietens was called to duty early Monday morning to help save a life, but not a human life.

Grietens was on Mayhew Drive when he was summoned to save a baby otter, trapped in chain link fencing and separated from the mother.

"I started getting closer and the mother comes over and starts screaming and the otter's screaming and everybody's screaming," Grietens said.

"So I started cutting the wires and he was trying to bite me and stuff," Grietens said, sweaty from his efforts.

Eventually Grietens freed the baby water mammal, and said the mother had a few motherly otter words for the youngster.

"The mother just came running up and just jumped on that baby and grabs it like 'You better not walk away from me again,'" Grietens quipped.

Randy Clifton said Cumberland Heights has seen a strange change in population due to the flooding. Deer, possums, snakes and turkeys have all taken up residence in neighborhoods.

"It's driving everything up from the bottoms into those neighborhoods," Clifton said. "It's strange to see eight, nine deer up there. It's interesting."

Clifton also said he's seen a rarity in wildlife in downtown, "a mink right down by Valleybrook Park."

"A mama mink and a baby mink running across the road down there that got drove up out of that bottom I guess," Clifton said.

Clifton said he doesn't mind the tame wildlife, but snakes he's been leery about.

"You kinda have to watch where you step," he said.

More conventional pets have also needed care.

Valerie Allen, director of Precious Friends Puppy Rescue, had to evacuate some 30 or 40 animals from the Kraft Street location before power was shut off Monday because of the rising Red River.

"When I saw the water I knew it was bad," she said.

Keith Fain, who owns Industrial Machine & Fabrication on Red River Street, offered up a warehouse to house the animals.

"I'm a dog lover and anybody that's in need ... I don't mind doing it," Fain said.

Allen said workers with Clarksville Gas & Water volunteered to help transport the animals and one volunteered to stay overnight to make sure they were fed and also monitor the evacuated building.

Dr. Holly Ramey, veterinarian at All God's Creatures, said she took home a dog and five cats from her business, next to Precious Friends, while the floodwaters threatened the Kraft Street shelters.

Ramey said she had about an hour to grab all she needed from her office, which was threatened by the cresting Red River.

"What could I walk in and get," Ramey recalls telling herself. All of the animals at her home are fine, and will be returned once Ramey deems it safe.

The Montgomery County Humane Society has closed its administrative offices on Tennessee Avenue until further notice. Stacey Hopwood, president of the Humane Society board, said the best way to contact the Humane Society is through e-mail at humanesociety@clarksville.com.

Hopwood said Animal Control was also operating as normal, but was prepared to move its housed animals if necessary.