The story of a local woman known affectionately as "squirrel lady" is making its way to a paperback book.
Wallaceburg's Joan Gale has gained recognition around town for her squirrel rescues and her love of the furry rodents.
It started in the summer of 2019 when Gale's friend reached out to her after finding a baby squirrel on the ground, that appeared to be ill. Being raised on a farm, Gale said her natural instinct came out to care for the animal.
"I walked over and he climbed right up my leg and went right up over my chest and curled up around my neck," she said. "There was no sign of [his] mom so we said 'we can't leave him here.' So we brought him home."
Gale and her family researched how to care for the squirrel, which she eventually named Squiddles. She watched over it for several weeks, including making sure to feed it every three hours.
"We pampered him basically and he became my best friend," she exclaimed.
Gale went on to rescue two more young squirrels, Sam and Stella, in the spring of 2020. Once the squirrels were able to care for themselves, Gale released them back into the wild. However, she said they kept coming back to her, oftentimes visiting multiple times a day.
Photo via Squiddles Gales Fan Page Facebook
"I've had Squiddles since basically [three weeks old] so his eyes were just opening and there were a lot of firsts. It's just like having your own child, it really is. I worry about them all the time. I didn't want to keep them in a cage though, because they shouldn't be a pet, they are a wild animal. So I just helped him get along to get him to where he's going," she said.
She has set up somewhat of a sanctuary in her backyard for Squiddles, Sam, Stella and any other animals that might pass through, complete with miniature furniture and feeders.
"I'm mom, they come to me every day. I call them just like I would my cat and my dog and they come to me... I feed them and they sit on me, they don't bite me," Gale said. "I know them all apart. Everybody says they all look the same to them, but a mother knows between their babies. You just get to know them, they each have their own [characteristics.]"
Gale said she has taken thousands of photos of the squirrels over the past year, which lead her to create Squiddles Gale's Fan Page, a Facebook page dedicated to sharing daily photos and updates. The page slowly grew in popularity and currently sits at nearly 500 members.
Her cousin's wife, who writes children's books, took notice of Gale's story and passed along the idea of writing a book based on Gale's adventures.
Hazel Knut the Squirrel Lady by Sharon Doucet
Hazel Knut the Squirrel Lady, written and illustrated by Sharon Doucet, is now available on Amazon Canada and teaches the importance of being kind to wildlife.
"Basically she went on my Facebook group and she put a story together of how I take care of them and play with them and take pictures of them," explained Gale. "There's pictures of me in the book with the squirrels and everything. It's quite a cute little story."
Gale said she never imagined that she would be the topic of a children's book but said it's been exciting for her and her family. She's also ordered her own personal shipment to sell to friends and family members while also giving back.
"With the proceeds that I sell from some of the book, I'm going to donate them to a wildlife centre."
