Gerda M. Deterer

I will always remember Gerta as the Mother Teresa of animals. I never met anyone that had as much compassion or dedication to animals' welfare as she. She was one in a billion. I remember her sitting on her porch taking one call after another...calmly and quietly. I would have been frantic but she was so calm and explained to each person what to do with whatever animal crisis they were facing. I remember walking into the Hampstead house for the first time and seeing like 10 fawns in the...

I am a hunter. I too was blessed enough to meet Mrs. Det (as I called her). When you were in the precense of Gerda you knew you were in the precense of somebody special. Although I disagreed with her stance on hunting and how it would affect Loch Raven, I admired her intelligence, compassion, and her love of animals. A love that we both share.
The world will greatly miss her. My best to her friends and relatives.

i have a small story about the lovely miss gerda. years ago i found a little bald newborn bird on the sidewalk. i brought it home and didn't know what to do. a friend gave me a number to call. it was gerda. she told me how to feed the bird, got my address and said she would come to pick it up. an hour later she knocked on my door. it was pouring rain and i invited her in. she said no and took the baby bird and put it under her shirt and just left. she said the little thing just a starling,...

I have some fond memories of Gerda, while I volunteered for her in Dundalk, when her organization was known as Wildbird Rescue at that time, going to her house and Gerda telling me about her "unmentionables" she had in the house, two baby fawns that were less than a week old, mother was killed by hunters, they were in big boxes with blankets in them, and DNR came to her door about another issue talking to her, you knew they seen the fawns, but after their talk, said to her, "we didn't see a...

I volunteered for Gerta years ago, she was a female St. Francis of Assisi of our times, there will never be another Gerta. She NEVER,EVER refused any animal, there was always room for one more. She rarely got sleep in the spring with feedings for all her precious babies all hours of the night. I felt totally honored, privileged, and blessed to have known such a wonderful lady.
Gerta, now you can rest peacefully in heaven with Wayne, since you never took anytime for yourself while you...

I regret that I was never able to shake the hand of such a dear and tender soul. Anyone who hears of your kindness, grace and your infinate love of animals will forever be touched. Be at peace, God owes you a very special place in heaven.

I didn't know Gerda personally, but knew of her thru my friend Bettie. Gerda helped my mom with a wounded duck and nursed it back to health. No critter was too small or too far away for her to offer help. The rainbow bridge probably had a record breaking turn out for Gerda. Thank you from me and Thank you from the animals you helped.

I only first met Gerda in July when I brought an injured Kingfisher to her door. I was amazed at her gentleness and the hope she gave me that the bird would be ok. Later that month the bird was released in Anne Arundel county. About a month later, I brought an injured tufted titmouse baby to Gerda. Again, she assured me that the little one would be ok. What struck me most was that both times I brought those birds, she said "thank you for coming" when I was leaving. I found that ironic since...