Judy, a biologist, wildlife researcher and wildlife rehabilitator along with her husband Bob, a biologist and Montana game warden (now retired), began observing new birth defects and health issues in mammals and birds in western Montana the spring of 1995. This book chronicles over 20 years of observations regarding the changes in the faces and the vital organs of vertebrate newborns now being observed throughout North America. Included is discussion of how people and other animals, plants, and the entire biodiversity of our planet are being dangerously affected by a combination of factors, one being recent excessive use of specific herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. What we can do to mitigate these devastating changes is addressed in the sincere hope that positive action will be taken before it is too late. Mass extinctions are already occurring as a result of the changes humans are causing to the face of the planet. This book is somewhat like "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, but is not as technical and has lots of photos to illustrate the birth defects and health issues, along with stories of individual animals. In the process of rehabilitating wildlife, Judy discovered how to correct certain defects such as underdeveloped bones, particularly those facial bones which result in underbite and overbite, allowing normal growth. She also discovered how to mitigate certain other health issues such as how to heal broken bones in mammals and birds in about half the usual time. The stories of the individual animals, which prompted her discoveries, are in this book in the hope that others can also be helped.
About the Author: Judy Hoy grew up on a cattle ranch and learned at a young age what constitutes normal development in newborn animals. When she was 20, she worked in a large hospital nursery caring for newborn children for 6 months to earn money for college, giving her an education in a normal newborn human's anatomy. She began her adult career as an elementary school teacher and taught in grades 4 through 6 for 12 years. She also was a wildlife artist and a wildlife rehabilitator, mainly in the summer months. Judy's husband, Bob, is a wildlife biologist and worked until he retired as a game warden for Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Judy wrote the book Changing Faces to help bring attention to the multiple birth defects and serious health effects now occurring on newborns of vertebrate and invertebrate species and to the consequences to the biodiversity and face of the planet of overusing pesticides (umbrella term).