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As It Happens

An Ontario woman's new gig? This beaver's chauffeur

After an Ottawa wildlife sanctuary took to Twitter looking for a volunteer to transport a sick beaver, Mary Herbert eagerly volunteered.
CBC Radio ·
This was the appeal tweeted out by the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. (Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary)
As It Happens5:01Ontario woman responds to call for beaver chauffeur

It's probably one of the strangest — and most Canadian — ride-share requests stories to ever grace the internet.

Yesterday, the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary tweeted out the following: "URGENT...sick beaver needs a drive from Ottawa to Rosseau."

Enter Mary Herbert.

"My family was a little worried when they heard I was doing a road trip," Herbert tells As It Happens host Carol Off. "They were afraid what I was bringing home, versus what I was delivering...I guess I just wanted to help."

Herbert transported the beaver in a large carrier with a blanket draped over top. She was told to keep quiet and leave the radio off so the animal wouldn't be disturbed.

"It was quiet — it was kind of nice...he didn't make any noise," she says. 

Mary Herbert beside the cage which she used to transport the sick beaver. (Janalene Kingshott)

Not surprisingly, the beaver appeal inspired a huge response on Twitter, and a lot of bad puns:

Herbert successfully delivered the beaver to a wildlife rehabilitation centre where it was found to be underweight and dehydrated, but otherwise ok. 

The animal will be looked after until it can be released back into the wild next spring. 

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