For wildlife carer Terri Eather, a skunk with rabies is where it all began.

At the age of 10 in her native California, Terri made her first wildlife rescue – much to the joy of her parents. ‘‘They wanted to kill me,’’ she said. Seven years later in Australia, Terri rescued a baby wallaby and her love of native wildlife began.

A former New South Wales police officer, teacher and foster carer, Terri has had a lifelong love of all animals. ‘‘I’m obsessive about protecting our unique Australian animals, because at the rate we’re going, my grandchildren won’t get to see them,’’ she said.

A typical day sees her feeding animals, going on rescues, washing and sterilising feeding bottles, cleaning aviaries and rehabilitation units, changing water and pouches for joeys, repairing and making new pouches and collecting food for the animals.