Lynne McCoy: deservingly honored

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This is long overdue. 

Wildlife rehabilitator Lynne McCoy was recently honored by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce as their "Volunteer of the Year." Truth is, she should be East Tennessee's Volunteer of the Year. 

Indeed! 

Since 1973, Lynne has given of herself, her time and her money to care for thousands of injured and orphan animals. Yes. Thousands. Last year alone, 1,718 passed through her home and most matured or were healed from their wounds to be returned to the wild. 

Of that over seventeen hundred in 2019, there were 484 opossums, 373 rabbits, 190 gray squirrels, 12 flying squirrels, 19 screech owls, 4 black vultures, 79 Carolina wrens, 61 robins, 2 great blue herons, 5 hummingbirds, 3 black rat snakes...and the list goes on and on. And because Lynne is state-permitted, a sheet of paper has to be filled out for each animal so that it can be documented. 

Lynne is a friend of mine and there are few people on this planet I admire more than her.

How can you help? Donate money for her to buy food. She receives no state or federal funding. 

Occasionally, I am called by the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital to transport animals to Lynne to care for and I have had all matter of patients in my car. 

Often, I take a few photos after I arrive.

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