The Twelve Strays of Christmas: Wild Things Clients Bring in During Winter

Because nothing says “holiday spirit” like unexpected wildlife in a cardboard box.

Winter in vet med is magical…in the sense that strange things magically appear at your clinic door every December.

Holiday music drifts through the lobby…snowflakes gently fall outside…and a client walks in holding a shoebox that is both vibrating and ominously warm. 

So in the spirit of the season, here are: The 12 Strays of Christmas (Vet Med Edition)

A Partridge in a Pear Tree (aka: the Random Backyard Bird)

Client: “He looked cold, so I brought him in.”
You: “Ma’am, this is a fully healthy adult pigeon, how did you catch it?”

Two Frozen Kittens

‘Tis the season for cardboard boxes left on porches, back seats, and occasionally handed to CSRs like a holiday offering.

Bonus points if the client says: “I can’t keep them, but they looked at me with sad little eyes.”

Three Mystery Birds

They could be pigeons.
They could be doves.
They could be pigeons pretending to be doves.
No one knows.

Four Off-Season Baby Bunnies

Every December, someone finds baby rabbits “abandoned” in a nest…

Which is absolutely not abandoned, but here we are. 

Five Golden…Puppies!

Holiday season = peak “We found these puppies under the shed, can you take them?”

Sure.
Add them to the pile.

Six Hedgehogs Shivering

Someone’s exotics escaped 72 hours ago.
Someone else found it behind their water heater.
Everyone involved is stressed.

Seven Raccoons Sneaking

Client: “We thought it was a stray cat.”
Raccoon: Having the time of its life in the exam room.
Tech: Already grabbing the bite-proof gloves.

Eight Fox Kits Wandering

All of them “orphans,” according to the well-meaning client.

None of them actually orphans.
All of them definitely spicy. 

Nine Starlings Tumbling

Because winter is the season of birds injuring themselves in ways that defy physics.

Ten Cats A-Skulking

They appear outside your clinic like they got a group rate.

All colors.
All ages.
All yelling. 

Eleven Squirrels Scurrying

They show up:

• Tangled in Christmas lights
• Stuck in gutters
• Chilled from winter winds
• Or simply offended by the cold

Squirrels have no chill…literally. 

Twelve Turkeys Trotting

It only happens once every blue moon.
But every clinic eventually gets at least one:

“Hi, I found this turkey wandering the neighborhood and thought you’d know what to do with it.”

Holiday miracle?
Holiday chaos?
Yes. 

Bonus Round (Because Vet Med Always Has Just One More Stray):

A client brings in a box and says:
“I don’t know what it is, but it was on my porch.”

Inside is either:

• A tiny possum
• A baby squirrel
• A feral kitten
• A bird you cannot identify with Google
• …or absolutely nothing because it escaped en route

Happy winter, everyone. 

Final Thoughts

Winter is full of wonder, joy, and a surprising number of rescued wildlife, semi-wildlife, and “we thought it was a cat but it wasn’t” moments. 

So here’s to you – the vet med pros who:

• Stay calm when the box is moving
• Gently explain that wildlife rehab exists
• Somehow manage to keep a straight face
• And still take care of every creature that crosses your threshold this season

May your December be festive, your stray count manageable, and your boxes clearly labeled.