Late one night this beautiful little animal was dropped off at the Animal Emergency Center in El Paso. She had just been struck by a car, her face was totally smashed and opened up from below her mouth to the top of her head. It didn't look like she had much of a chance at surviving the ordeal but the doctor did his best to piece her back together again. It took additional surgeries to rebuild her destroyed face and two months of rehabilitation but she is now almost back to normal. She still has problems - her sense of smell may be destroyed, her eyes water quite a bit, she has sneezing fits and her lip is permanently split but she has made great progress. However, her injuries and human imprinting will prevent her from going back to the wild.

The ringtail is also known as the ringtail cat or miners cat and is about the size of a small house cat. However, they are not cats but belong in the same family as the raccoon and coati. They are nocturnal animals and eat a variety of foods - small animals, fruits, bird eggs, for example. They inhabit mountain ranges of the Southwestern United States. During recent months Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue and other wildlife organizations and officials have received numerous calls about these animals moving into the cities of El Paso and Las Cruces. They love to take up residence in attics, businesses and warehouses - anywhere that there is a plentiful supply of mice or pet food they can access. When possible, these strays are trapped and relocated far from the city. In Las Cruces there have been 3 power outages caused by ringtails getting into the power distribution system.

C.D.W.R. wishes to thank the anonymous person or persons who took the time to aid this helpless little animal when it was so seriously injured. Thanks are also due the veterinarians who spent so much time and resources to see to it that Snagglepuss had a second chance at life.

Warning! If you encounter an injured wild animal, call an experienced person to remove it to the proper facilities for treatment. Due to pain and fright, any wild animal is going to be more prone to fight and bite. If you must handle it, use heavy leather gloves or wrap the animal in a thick blanket for protection. Call the local office of Animal Control, Fish and Wildlife, or a Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization. They can direct you to further assistance.