Remembering Elizabeth Conley, longtime animal advocate

 

Elizabeth “Betty” Conley of Babylon, an animal lover, wildlife rehabilitator, humanitarian, self-taught artist, died July 23 at age 84. Betty was my dear neighbor. For over 35 years, she was the “go-to person” whenever anyone came upon a bird or small mammal in distress.

Betty was well-read. I was surprised to learn that decades ago she met several gay writers on bird-watching outings who told her it was difficult to get publishing companies to accept their work. She began editing drafts from LGBTQ writers, and quite a few went on to become well-known authors.

Last week, I visited Betty’s daughter, Kathleen, who lives in Maryland. We met at Betty’s home to share memories of her mom, and to take a closer look at her waterscape paintings with swans and other favorites. Kathleen recalled a funny incident when a visitor came out of the bathroom and announced there was a duck in the bathtub. It was a scaup. Betty forgot to mention the duck would be sharing the facilities with him. Kathleen and her two brothers, Karl and John, grew up in this home alongside wildlife and beloved dogs and cats.

 

As a child, Betty enjoyed feeding ducks with her mother. Betty studied at Farmingdale College in the 1980s to be a licensed vet tech, but soon realized her passion was helping injured or orphan wild animals. She became a certified wildlife rehabilitator, remaining a labor of love rather than a paying profession.

When she and her family moved to a home on a Babylon Village canal, she and her late husband Karl neatly lined their backyard with recovery pens, converted their garage into a clinic and set up a room overlooking the water as a nursery for infant animals and her goldfinches. Baby birds were fed specific foods with eyedroppers. There was also heated, in-ground pond outside for her swimming patients, as well as lovely view from the kitchen overlooking all Betty’s charges.

“Mama Duck” was the nickname Betty gave herself. Treating waterfowl became Betty’s forte. Many charges were the same local duck varieties- mallard, call, merganser, wood- who swam past her yard, plus larger water birds like cormorants, Canada geese, mute swans, and loons also were among her temporary boarders.

At times, an abandoned, Easter pet, a Pekin duck, would require her care. Most of the water birds were released to the wild after their rehab. Many returned each year to visit their foster family because Betty’s care made them strong enough to fly out of the canal and into the yard.

But Gabby, a call duck, stayed as a family member for 22 years, which is longer than the typical lifespan of a call duck. She was imprinted on Betty and would follow her around the property. Sparky and Scooter were also resident ducks. Gabby and Sparky became proud parents of one egg that hatched.

Other Wildlife Waifs: Betty bottle-fed many baby squirrels, occasionally baby rabbits. People mistakenly think baby rabbits are orphans when, Mama Bunny is nearby most of the day.

Countless birds, even an eagle who had gotten stuck in tar, recovered with Betty until they were either well enough or old enough to fly away.

Suffolk County Police K-9 Corps: Betty went to St. Joseph’s in Brentwood while her future husband Karl attended LaSalle Military Academy in Oakdale. They met at a high school dance. There was an instant connection. The couple came from interesting backgrounds. Betty’s father was a Long island psychiatrist, while Karl’s father was a Brigadier General, originally from Maryland.

Betty and Karl eloped their second year in college. They lived in Germany while Karl was attending the University of Maryland campus there and tried working on the family farm in Maryland before Karl joined the Suffolk County Police Department.

Karl had worked at SCPD for two years when in 1963, he suggested forming a K-9 Corps to the police commissioner, because of a string of robberies in East Farmingdale. The idea took hold, and Karl was sent for training so he could run the Suffolk K-9 Corps. Lucky, a German Shepherd, became the first K-9 and the beloved pet of the Conley family for many years. Lucky had two dog companions-Billie Joe, a yellow Lab the Conley’s found on the side of the road on their way back from Maryland, and Georgie Girl, a black Lab mix. The dogs shared their home with cats and the wildlife in home rehab.

Karl was instrumental in setting up the K-9 Corps Museum in Yaphank. He retired from SCPD as a detective after 28 years. Karl Conley died in 2015.

Betty’s Dogs and Cats: The Conleys had many dogs and cats. Kathleen said: “Often there was mom’s dog and Dad’s dog, along with several cats”. Lady a short-haired mix was found with an embedded collar, a painful scar of neglect. Petie, a clone of the Little Rascals Petie was treated with chemo to try to fight his cancer.

Betty always read “Pets” in this newspaper, so I had the pleasure of connecting her with several pets.

Wonderful Jessie, from Babylon Shelter, was a unique, scruffy Griffon mix, with an untraceable European tattoo. Tori, her beloved Cocker Spaniel, was from Babylon or Last Hope.

Frankie, a tortoiseshell, gave birth in a Nassau garage. She and her kittens became Last Hope fosters until Betty adopted Frankie about six years ago. I would occasionally stop to Frankie’s chagrin to trim her nails. Kathleen will be taking Frankie home to Maryland. Presently, the cat is becoming accustomed to her future housemate, Copper, a darling, older dwarf Shepherd with lead shot embedded in his spine.

Loving Legacy: Betty’s love of animals lives on in her maternal line. Her daughter Kathleen and granddaughter are adept at pet rescue. They “moved mountains” to adopt Copper so he could enjoy his best life. Kathleen has embraced Frankie as her cat.

Betty’s daughter and granddaughter Leyla trapped older, outside kittens at the Maryland house. Leyla did an amazing job of taming them. Her granddaughter attached a paper plate with canned cat food to a string. Over time, she would pull the food gradually toward her so she could pet them while they were distracted eating. She needs to patent this feral technique.

I met these friendly cats, and trimmed Frankie’s nails during my visit. A few drops of CBD oil helped Frankie accept “that mean lady with the cat clippers”. Betty would be so proud of her treasured cat.