Windsor rehabilitator nurtures injured squirrels and rabbits back to health


By Joel Waldinger | February 3, 2025

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Baby squirrels need a lot of attention. In Windsor, Wisconsin, Holly Hill-Putnam answers the call.

It’s not every day someone gets to feed a baby squirrel. In Hill-Putnam’s world, it happens six or seven times a day. Hill-Putnam is a wildlife rehabber who volunteers for Wisconsin WildCare. Her specialty is squirrels, bunnies and chipmunks.

For Hill-Putnam, it’s a labor of love. She just rescued two bunnies, barely two days old and furless, to add to the 36 little critters she already has in her home. Some of the baby animals are abandoned, some are orphaned and others are injured.

It takes a special person to volunteer to work as a wildlife rehabber. Hill-Putnam has turned down lunch dates, vacations and class reunions to care for her critters.

Their feeding schedule alone keeps her hopping. The day starts early and Hill-Putnam spends countless hours feeding with a syringe, calculating how many ounces each animal should drink. Each feeding takes about 10 minutes. And with six to seven feedings per animal per day, the time adds up fast.

When Hill-Putnam isn’t feeding, she’s restocking food like nuts, seeds and a buffet of greens, veggies and fruits. Every day she chops celery, carrots and apples.

Meanwhile, Hill-Putnam’s backyard has become a wildlife sanctuary where the rescued wildlife take their last cautious steps before being released back into the wilderness.

At the end of the day, Hill-Putnam finds satisfaction in knowing she’s helping the animals. For her, the hardest part is letting them go.

“I feel like I’m so blessed that I found something that I love so much and that I feel like I’m doing something so worthwhile,” Hill-Putnam says. “That’s how I spend my money. You gotta spend it on things that make you happy. So, I spend a lot of it on squirrel food!”

Joel Waldinger

Joel Waldinger

Joel Waldinger is a reporter for the “Wisconsin Life” project and considers a sunset over the “big island” on Manson Lake to be a perfect ending to a day of fishing and fun in the Northwoods. 
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