Animal rescuer Brendan Smith checks on the progress of the ducks.
By Glen Atwell
POSSUMS stuck in chimneys and cats caught under floors.
Brendan Smith’s new job as an animal rescuer is a world away from being a tradesman.
The 26-year-old Cranbourne resident has been tuning his animal whispering after successfully applying for a job with Nigel’s Animal Rescue last month.
“I read in the newspaper that Nigel was looking for a helping hand, and I applied immediately,” Brendan said.
“It’s a big change, to go from a builder to an animal rescuer, but I love every minute.”
In his first month on the job, Brendan has rescued more animals than he can remember.
“My first call out was to save a family of ducks stuck down a drain in Hampton Park,” he said.
“I’ve also pulled countless possums from chimneys and spent two hours rescuing a cat stuck under a floor.” Brendan said his mentor, Nigel Williamson, was teaching him everything he needed to know.
“Nigel is giving me all the advice and tips, and showing me how to perform rescues,” he said.
Brendan has a keen interest in reptiles, and has kept lizards and snakes at home for the past 13 years.
“I’m right into reptiles, so I came with a working knowledge of dealing with animals,” he said.
“But more importantly, I’m an animal lover.”
Brendan says he has no fear of any animal, but admits that crawling in roofs and under floors presents a few challenges.
“That’s when you meet one or two large spiders, face to face,” he said.
Nigel said he wished he had found Brendan 10 years ago.
“He’s got a natural love of animals, and that’s what I was looking for,” he said.
