This amazing photograph is of Doris Forbes and her beloved beaver, Mickey, the official Mascot of the city I wrote about last week where a beaver had attacked several dogs at a local dog park. In 1939 the kit was found mauled by dogs and unable to use his back legs, and cared for by the Forbes. (Mrs. Forbes was a nurse.) He recovered from his injuries and lived in their home until he got too big and then had a special place built for him in the garage. As many as 200 letters arrived a day for Mickey and his keeper, Doris. Sometimes as many as 50 would stop by to see the beaver, who was especially attached to the little girl.
Mickey lived for 9 years as the beloved pet of the Forbes and became the official Mascot of Red Deer. He died peacefully in his sleep and he and Doris became the subject of a bronze statue in town. Footage of him appeared in hollywood films, his image sparked the design for a beaver costume, and his story was told by Kerry Wood in a novel called “Mickey the beaver and other stories”. In his peaceful, well-loved life he taught people about beavers and the good that they can do. And his memory certainly shaped the mercy that dog owners were able to show in saying the beavers shouldn’t be killed.
Except one was.
Someone shot one of the Red Deer beavers. The body of a 3-4 year old beaver was found Monday by a canoer, and the town is reeling from the shock that someone would bring a weapon into a city park and take matters into their own hands. This is the kind of shocking death that breaks through the barriers if a woman who reads about 10 beaver killings a week. We were so close. The city had listened to options, the residents had defended the beavers, 4 property owners offered relocation, and the city was starting to realize that it may not even be necessary with a little intelligent fencing.
And one of the beavers was shot.
Again I ask, was it mom? Was it dad? Was it the ‘guilty beaver’? Will there be more? Will the person be back tonight or tomorrow to take out the rest of the colony?
The town of Red Deer has been shaped for 70 years by stories of beavers. With the massive import of the fur trade it is safe to say that beavers are the bookends holding together its entire existence. It had better do right by them.
