We experienced a small tragedy and a big epiphany this week. I describe it all in my latest column (gift link).
Last Saturday night — well, actually Sunday morning — I was up late working on the book. I let our very sleepy small dog out one last time and she immediately started barking. This rarely precedes anything good. She was circling a motionless animal of similar size. I went down there and saw a snowshoe hare, still alive, laying in the grass near our fence.
Assuming it was frightened or stunned, I said “go home, bunny” and brought the dog in. But when my wife woke up early the next morning, the hare was still there. It turns out that it’s back legs weren’t working right.
We brought the hare to a local wildlife rehabilitation clinic, and we were glad we did. Unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t as good as we hoped. The hare injured its spine — likely after getting stuck in our chain link fence — and had to be euthanized. At least its life ended humanely, which would not have happened otherwise.
The experience showed us the thin, furry line between injured or displaced wildlife and often inadvertently human-caused suffering. A few people, none of them well-compensated, if they get paid at all, are out there nursing these animals back into the wild.
I met an amazing woman doing this work. I also talked to experts about what we can do to help the wildlife in our neighborhoods.
Read “One volunteer runs the only wildlife rehab center for miles,” in the Saturday, May 2, 2026 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
