The Academy

Fur and Feathers is perhaps the only private organization in New Mexico and Texas that specializes in in-the-field animal rescue. Each year many injured and abandoned animals perish because no one wants to pick them up and deliver them to a rehab center. This is understandable because handling wild animals can be very dangerous. Fur and Feathers has recognized the need for in-the-field animal rescue and the dangers involved and has responded to this need by establishing a comprehensive training program. The curriculum for this training academy was carefully evaluated by both experts in the area of animal handling, veterinarians, and the company board of directors. The classes offered were selected to provide a complete over-view of  hazards and dangers to both the animals and the rescuers. The academy consists of  20  hours of classroom training and several field exercises. Tests are administered for each class. Students learn about zoonotic diseases, animal capture, animal first aid, and transport protocols. Each class is limited to 10-12 students and each student is issued a complete set of state of the art rescue tools. The academy is free to students and the equipment is paid for through grants. Upon completion of the training, the students are certified by the board of directors as  rescue specialists. Fur and Feathers only uses certified personnel  for in-the-field rescues.