The Canada goose that got stuck and then rescued from a Papa John's employee's car grille is still recovering in rehab in Poultney.

A vet there thinks it tore its ACL which is why it's still hobbling around. But he's doing better.

Two weeks ago, a delivery driver hit the animal in Burlington, and it got stuck in the front grille. Miraculously, it survived.

And the rescue wouldn't have been possible without one little-known wildlife hotline.

Ellen Jareckie, a self-employed artist, single-handedly runs a wildlife hotline out of her Shelburne home.

She helps people who've found a sick, injured or orphaned animal like the baby robin, that Treena Brogan from Richmond found.

"I've been kind of mama bird, but without that help, I couldn't have done it. So many animals, not just this precious creature, but so many would be passing from just people like me that have phenomenal intentions, but don't know how to do it," said Brogan.

After Jareckie makes sure the animal is stable, a wildlife volunteer will pick up the animal, like the baby robin, and transport it to a nearby animal rehabilitator.

Rehabilitators are located all over Vermont who specialize in different animal species, like songbirds, reptiles or rabies vectors.

We asked her why not call the rehabbers directly and she said it's because they are often too busy.

"They often aren't able to answer their phone because they're in the middle of, say, doing a feeding of orphaned rabbits or something like that, and it's very time-consuming," said Jareckie.

Jareckie would know as she used to work as a rehabber for 15 years.

"People were getting frustrated because all they were getting was an answering machine. They'd make call after call after call and would just get answering machines, which doesn't, of course, help the person or the animal," said Jareckie.

She also says not to call Vermont Fish & Wildlife because they are better for enforcing the laws regarding wildlife.

She created the wildlife hotline to act as a sort of triage. But Jareckie is only one person and she says the need for one consolidated resource is immense.

"We really need a statewide hotline that's advertised that the public knows is there, and when they find an animal they need help with, they can call in and get some advice or direction," said Jareckie.

Jareckie says she suggested the idea to Fish and Wildlife, but nothing is in the works yet.

For now, you can get a hold of Jareckie at 802-578-7168.