With the run up to Christmas and the cold weather, hedgehogs are deciding they need to have a vacation to WRAS’s Casualty Centre!
Hedgehogs are coming in from all over our area at the moment, but most of all from Polegate where we have had them from Ottham Rd, Gosford Way, Southern Avenue and Dover Road.
We have also had them in this week from Tolkien Road in Eastbourne, The Spinney at Heathfield, Spences Lane and Mildway Road in Lewes, Church Marks Lane and Nightingales in East Hoathly and Fairfield Road in Burgess Hill.
All of them are coming in with internal parasite or skin problems like mange or ringworm. The average cost of over wintering a single hedgehog is £130.
This handsome pigeon has been admitted into WRAS’s care today from Lower Willingdon by a kind hearted woman, who was concerned about seeing him all hunched up in her garden. He is emaciated and in need of building up. If you do find any emaciated wildlife please remember it can be dangerous to just give them loads of food. As with humans when emaciated you need to build them up slowly giving little and often and starting them on a liquid diet.
Often they need pain relief to help with stomach cramps. So always seek veterinary advice.
An ambulance has been out to a road casualty blackbird picked up by Ruth from Best Demolition in Heathfield; there has been a catted Starling in Jevington a Wood Pigeon from Litlington and a pigeon from Bembridge Road, Eastbourne.
A big thank you to The Mammal Society and Hadlow College for inviting us to have a stand at The Mammal Society Regional Seminar last week end, an even bigger thank you for donating the money raised from the raffle to WRAS which was £130. We also need to thank everyone at the BMI Esperance Hospital in Eastbourne who have had a cake sale last week. They have raised over £135 for WRAS. I also need to say thank you to Stephanie, PN Smith and Martin for sending us some amazing gifts via our Amazon Wish List! If you would like to send a gift to our wildlife casualties this Christmas please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/35VQCQWZZ8PM1.
Christmas is a time for giving and our amazingly hard working volunteers will be working over Christmas and the New Year and we will have a medical team on standby over Christmas to help with any emergencies and at least one ambulance on call too.
So spare a moment to think about our casualties on Christmas morning who are being looking after in our centre and not enjoying Christmas with their families.
On behalf of all our volunteers, staff and casualties, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope it is a peaceful one for you all.