Reno Gazette-Journal
Thursday, July 8 1999
Sierra Life
Outdoors
Animal
Savior
Rescuing people and 
animals from each other
By Brian Beffort
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
 

 Each year, as Reno’s neighborhoods expand 
farther into the surrounding countryside, residents often find themselves sharing their homes with the area’s wilder residents. When that happens, people often don’t know whom to call. 
  “We had a rattlesnake in our garage,” said Esther Clay. “I probably walked by it 50 times during the day. I kept hearing this rattling and hissing, but we have so many strange sounds our there, I didn’t think much of it.”
   “When we finally found it, we didn’t know what to do,” Clay said. “We didn’t want to kill it—it was probably as scared as we were—but we definitely wanted it out of there. We tried calling 
Animal Control, but it was Sunday and they were closed. We tried calling the Humane Society, but they were closed, too. We finally called information, and they gave us the Wildlife 
 
Rescue Association. He was there in 10 minutes and took care of it for us."
  As Clay discovered, local agencies such as the Nevada Division of Wildlife, Reno Animal Services and the
Humane Society are either 
unable or unwilling to 
respond to many household animal complaints: 
sometimes the calls come after hours when the 
agencies are closed; 
sometimes these agencies don't have the personnel or funding to come running when people have chipmunk or marmot problems; 
sometimes the agencies end up destroying the animals people call about.
  John Potash formed the Wildlife Rescue Association two years ago, hoping to fill some of the gaps in local 
animal control. His goal is to turn the organization into a nonprofit center that would rescue and rehabilitate wild animals at all hours of the day, without killing them if possible, at no cost to consumers.
  "I started doing this because I love animals,"

See RESCUE below
 
Above: Crystal Garry had noisy raccoons living under her downtown Reno house, but John Potash, top left, says it's probably better to leave them alone until they decide to move on.
Who to call for animal problems
  If you have a problem with animals, one of the following agencies should be able to help. If an animal such as a bear, mountain lion or coyote poses and immediate threat, call 911.
  Nevada Division of 
Wildlife. For larger animals such as mountain lions, bobcats, deer and coyote. More information: 688-1500.
  Reno Police Animal 
Services. This agency handles animals that have been 
impounded, are in violation of city ordinances or are 
unwanted. Details: 858-1616.
  Nevada Humane Society. This  nonprofit organization deals mainly with birth 
control, adoption and cruelty
complaints relating to 
owned animals. Details: 331-5770.
  Wildlife Rescue 
Association. This not-yet-official nonprofit agency responds to small wildlife complaints relating to 
rattlesnakes, crows, 
chipmunks, marmots, skunks, etc...Not certified to handle larger animals like mountain lion, bear and deer. Details: 356-3909.
  Washoe County Animal Control. The agency 
handles loose animals, 
animal bites, confined 
animal pickups. All 
animals are impounded at the Reno Police Animal Services. Details: 785-4629
  -- Brian Beffort
Rescue
Continued from above

Potash said. "Too many of them are persecuted for us being in their place. It also gives people an outlet to deal with these 
animals without hurting them."
  "He fills a niche," said Cindy Peterson, supervisor for the Reno Police Animal Services 
Department. "Although he 
doesn't have official jurisdiction in the city of Reno, he has helped out when there's a need. Animal Services doesn't really deal with wild animals, and the Nevada 
Division of Wildlife doesn't 
always deal with a lot of the smaller animals he does.
  "He's a good Samaritan."
  If you have a rattlesnake in your yard, Potash will remove it and release it far from town. 
  "Although, 75 percent of the time they end up being gopher snakes," Potash said.
  "Once I pick up the snake and show them that it's not 
dangerous, the people aren't 
usually so scared. I even 
recommend that they keep the snake around. They're clean 
animals and they're great for 
controlling rodents, which can carry a lot of disease. Very few people go for it, though. I usually end up taking them away."
  Potash warned, however, that telling the difference between 
gopher snakes and rattlesnakes can be difficult, even dangerous. It might be better to call him or another agency to help you.
  If you have chipmunks living in your walls or ceiling, Potash would recommend finding 
yourself a gopher snake.
  "They'll leave real quick with that snake around," he said. "And as soon as the chipmunks are gone, the snake will move on, too."
   Potash said most of his calls
"I've always been 
fascinated by the 
underdogs -- snakes and skunks and bats."
           John Potash
get rid of, a boa 
constrictor, ferret, iguana or Asian water monitor, Potash might be able to help.
  On Tuesday afternoon, Potash responded to a call from Crystal Garry in downtown Reno. She was wondering what to so about a family of raccoons living under her house. 
Potash arrived to find three baby raccoons crawling out from under the back porch to eat cat food.
  "They've been under the house for months," said Garry. "They drive me crazy with all the noise they make."
  Garry was also concerned about the threat of rabies and raccoon ringworm. 
  Because of the rabies 
concern, Potash was 
hesitant to take the animals away. By law, rabies 
carriers in cages must be killed. This includes skunks, coyotes, bats and raccoons.
  "Unfortunately, there's no legal way to transport them out of here," Potash said. "It might be best if you just wait for them to grow up and move out. Then once they're gone, cover these holes so they can't get back in next year."
  "Some people think they're horrible little creatures," Garry said. "I think they're precious, but they make so much noise I just want them out of here."
Not so sure about this: Family friend Nick Daddario 
reluctantly cuddles up to one of John Potash's many snakes.
this season have been about marmots and snakes. "mostly marmots, lately," he said. "But as the season goes on, I expect the snake calls will start picking up."
  Potash, 27, is waiting for his federal nonprofit 
credentials to come through. This will enable him to apply for grants to fund the
organization. For the time
being, he offers his services as a good Samaritan. People find his number in the yellow pages, and sometimes Reno Police dispatch will forward calls to him when other 
agencies are available. He works for free, but donations are always accepted.
  "If I could make a living doing this, it would be great," he said. "Maybe someday."
  When he's not busy 
rescuing animals and people from each other, Potash works at the herpetology lab at UNR.
  When he goes home, he takes his fascination with animals-- especially reptiles-- with him. Just inside his front door, an 
emerald tree boa curls around a cage in the living room. Three Columbian boas, an iguana, two ferrets, an African gray parrot, a red-bellied parrot and a
Nile monitor sit in cages in the corner.
  In another room, cages and hatchling boxes are stacked 10 high with 
Burmese pythons, pueblan milk snakes, carpet 
pythons, Western skinks, Taiwan beauty snakes, striped albino corn snakes and false water cobras, just to name a few.
  Potash is required to have   numerous permits in order to keep and handle these 
animals.
  "I've always been 
fascinated by the 
underdogs-- snakes and skunks and bats," said 
Potash. "People hate them so much, but I think they're fascinating."
"It took me a while, but I'm used to it," said his mother Traudie, with whom Potash lives. She often comes home to find a rescued crow, marmot or rattlesnake waiting inside. "I got really mad when he brought his first snake home. But now, nothing bothers me anymore."
  In addition to rescuing wildlife and breeding 
reptiles, Potash Operates and unofficial adoption agency  for exotic animals. If you are looking to get, or 
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