Rick Ford

“Not one time do we kill a snake. We catch and release them other places, even poisonous ones. Even Cottonmouths, Rattlesnakes and Copperheads,” he said.

He’s retrieved snakes out of peoples houses, cars, off of book shelves, under tv’s and off curtain rods.

His most memorable rescue was a kitten someone had slashed its throat and thrown it into a ditch.

“Some kids waved me down when I drove by so I stopped to see what they were looking at,” said Ford.

He rescued the kitten and it eventually became “Sis” and lived at the Animal Shelter where it ruled.

“Even mean dogs would back down from Sis,” Ford said.

She lived there several years.

“I think she followed some kids home,” he said.

They get a lot of crazy calls.

“I’ve pulled possums and coons out from under car seats. People leave their door open just a minute and they’ll get in. Imagine if you’re driving and a possum or coon comes out from under the seat,” he said.

Bears sometimes visit the city.

“I’ve helped the wildlife department tranquilize bears and move them,” said Ford.

When asked how he acquired those trapping skills, he said he grew up catching creatures in the woods and wherever he could.

The City of Stilwell is a good place to work.

“I know I’m helping animals out. And it’s kind of like family, the street departments, police, and fire departments, you’re here to help. And it’s home,” he said.

He’s married to Julie, who works at the Cherokee Nation Child Development Center. They have three kids— Hanna, almost 20, Hunter, 18 and Savanna, 14.

Stilwell is a good place to raise a family.

“It has a good environment, it’s home — I grew up here,” he said.

When he grew up there was a skating rink and movie theater.

“I wish there was more for kids to do, like a skating rink, for the younger kids,” Ford said.

Rick Ford rescued a hawk sucked into a car grill and it lived.