Animal People:
Dagmar Midcap
You may recognize her from TV! Local meteorologist and lifelong animal lover Dagmar Midcap shares her special affinity for all animals big and small. See what she has to say about a house full of creatures and adventures halfway across the world:
Do you have a special story of an animal that changed the way you think or the person you have become?
The person who I am today is the result of countless interactions with the creatures who share this planet with us. From holding rescued hummingbirds with broken wings to the flowers in a garden so she could feed, to helping my mother nurse one-week-old wild hares in preparation for release back into our garden, to pulling three geese out of a ditch after they had been dumped there… the stories are too many to be told here.
With so many stories, what is one animal memory that’s changed your life?
Most recently, my actions have turned to wildlife conservation. A moment in time that is burned into my mind and my heart occurred at the end of a 46-hour African elephant translocation, 900 miles across 3 countries from South Africa to Mozambique, to repopulate a wildlife park recovering from civil war.
We arrived in darkness at 4 a.m., and released the elephants near a watering hole so close that you could hear the hippos. On that moonless night, I climbed to the top of a 16-foot custom transport trailer. I struggled to keep from slipping off the muddy, slippery sides while dodging agitated trunks reaching for my ankles out of the roof hatches. If the trunks had pulled me in, that would have been the end of my story. The massive trailer was rocking back and forth as the crowded and distressed creatures inside jostled for space. I vividly recall reaching over the edge of the front trailer to trace my fingers along an ear as families of elephants left the bright lights of the trailer for the safety of the jungle darkness.
And what are some of the impacts that your animals have on your daily life?
They keep me very busy! They alternatingly energize and calm me throughout the day. I love that in between weather hits I can sit next to one (or all) of the 5 pups and receive another “fill-up” of wags and kisses. Occasionally, one or two of them can be heard snoring on air!!
With rescue pets of your own, why do you think adoption is so important?
There are so many creatures out there in need of shelter, food, love. So many of those abandoned or abused creatures have never known what it feels like to be loved and to belong. We as humans can be their worst enemy or their best friend. Let’s be their best friend.
What are some small steps you take to make a difference for animals?
I don’t own a single chair, couch or bed that hasn’t been commandeered by members of my animal crew. Laundry for all those sheets and towels is about the most minimal effort I make every day. Oh, and of course, I keep my pet rooster, Drogon, in my car in a large kennel with food and water from midnight until 9 a.m. to keep the neighbors happy!
Published: January 21, 2021
