Hogarth's / Spikey's Hedgehog Rescue

Hogarth's / Spikey's Hedgehog Rescue

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Hogarth's / Spikey's Hedgehog Rescue - Help

What to do, if you have found a sick, injured or orphaned hedgehog.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER: 1. If a hedgehog is out in daylight, this means that something is wrong!

2. Sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs need warmth and food, fluids and veterinary attention - IMMEDIATELY!

3. Sick and injured hedgehogs will be suffering from SHOCK!

WHAT TO DO: Please get a high-sided cardboard box, that is large enough for the hedgehog to fit inside. Hedgehogs are good climbers. In the bottom, put a hot water bottle, filled as you would for yourself, well-wrapped in a towel. Wearing a pair of gardening gloves, carefully put the hedgehog in the box, on the heat-source. A small towel or cloth also put on top of the hedgehog will help keep him/her warm. If the hedgehog or "hoglet" is trying to climb around the sides, then it is in distress; and if he/she is WOBBLING then the casualty is suffering from dehydration and probably from hypothermia as well - wobbling is a symptom of both.

Next - Straight away or as soon as possible contact a hedgehog/ wildlife Rescuer in your area, or take the hedgehog to your nearest vet.

WARNING - PLEASE: 1.) DO NOT GIVE COW'S MILK!! and 2.) DO NOT PUT "SPOT-ON" ON HEDGEHOGS!!

NOTICE TO ALL READERS - RESCUE FACILITY SHUT DOWN: It is with sadness and regret that we have to announce that our main "hospital" facilities have been closed down, until further notice, as of 24/ 10/ 2012 - and is therefore unable to take-in anymore hedgehogs. Please take them to our main Vets (Fairfield) instead by calling (01455) 637 642 - there is no charge, but a little Donation will be required to cover costs (e.g. £5), in the same way as the PDSA works. Please leave this with your contact details in reception. Our own contact is still on: (01455) 614 013 / e-mail: dave_hall4@hotmail.co.uk

THIS IS BECAUSE (MORE INFORMATION BELOW):

1.) There has been too much damage by two storms - in December, 2011 and June, 28th, 2012 (giant hail and torrential rainwater damage). 2.) There are not enough funds at the moment, and not enough donations received during 2012 to sustain. Financial support is vital if we are to continue. 3.) The main contact-number/ advice system has been abused.

EXPLANATION - IN MORE DETAIL: The damage has been very bad, and the lost equipment and enclosures will have to all be replaced. It's a huge blow, because the rescue has always covered and served such a large area - filling many gaps, including taking-in hedgehogs on Sundays, and has proven to be invaluable in the local area. Also, partly because next year (2013) will mark the Twentieth anniversary. The rescue will not re-open these facilities until replacement of the damaged equipment happens. We have worked-out that we need to raise about £4,000 to get this rescue back on its feet again. If we cannot raise these funds, then I'm afraid that the shut down of this facility will be permanent - after two decades running, this would be a tragedy!!

Further, the closure is necessary to stop what's left of the funds from running out completely. We haven't received no-where near enough (realistically) to continue our work into 2013.

Also, to be frank, I for one feel that the Rescue has not been treated fairly in this local area - this is something I have felt for the past few years. Too much has been expected of us outside of our specialist work with hedgehogs. Some people have been downright rude or even abusive towards us over the phone-line, why? This is awful and something that we cannot and should not have to tolerate, especially as we are VOLUNTEERS! We feel that we deserve MUCH better that being given an ear-bashing! Is this not a worthy cause?

HOW TO HELP US: Please call (01455) 614013 / or e-mail, dave_hall4@hotmail.co.uk if you wish to help support us out from this horrible crisis.

Please note that the above does NOT in any way affect the Alexia's (childrens'/education) charity-section, of Hogarth's Wild Life. Thank you so much to those who HAVE supported us, this year!

WHAT TO DO NOW WITH A HEDGEHOG CASUALTY:

Please book the hedgehog(s) in our main Vets, Fairfield - by calling (01455) 637 642. The hedgehog will be taken off from your hands, and there is no charge by the Vets, however in the same way as the PDSA a little DONATION is required to recover costs. We can no-longer accept any more hedgehogs without something to cover the cost of their care. (Any amount is acceptable - example: £5 cash). I will still be available for advice when possible, by e-mail and on the original number, and the above as a whole does not mean that we have completely stopped taking-in hedgehogs - the Derby and Nottingham base is still active.

Our own main contact is/ has always been: (01455) 614 013, but PLEASE DO NOT call this number in the night, as we have had to close the late-night service due to lack of resources available and for health reasons, I'm sorry to say. You can however, also "book-in" a hedgehog with the wonderful 'Fairfield Veterinary Centre', by calling (01455) 637 642 - located at 51 Leicester Road, HINCKLEY, Leics., LE10 1LW. The Vets are open weekdays from 8 o'clock AM (morning) until 7 o'clock PM (evening), and on Saturdays from 8 o'clock AM (morning) until 3 o'clock PM (afternoon). Assuming that the hedgehog is poorly, then he/she will be admitted-in the hospital and one of our Carers will collect for the needed after-care. PLEASE leave a little donation (required) for the hedgehog(s) at reception, with your name and details (request Newsletter, if you want to receive this - the Newsletter gives stories and all case-histories). PLEASE NOTE: We do prefer (for animal welfare reasons) that any very sick or severely-injured hedgehog is taken to the Vets FIRST. Also, note that not all hedgehogs survive, even with the very best of efforts, if they are just too poorly. The Vets only euthanize (put out of misery) a hedgehog - in discussion with us - if it is deemed that the patient is suffering and stands no chance of recovery. Please understand that they are wild animals and need to be treated as such - they are NOT pets, our ultimate aim is to release as many "fit again" wild hedgehogs back into the Wild, as possible. As a whole, we have quite a high success-rate, thanks to a huge amount of effort and hard work between us! Our charity (our Volunteers) is based in the Hinckley & Bosworth area of Leicestershire and in Nottingham; the charity regularly takes-in hedgehogs from quite a large "catchment" area, the reason for this will be explained elsewhere (see NEWSLETTER). This includes: Hinckley & Bosworth (all areas), Leicester, Coventry, Bedworth, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Twycross, Tamworth, Rugby, Daventry, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Loughborough and Nottingham - and surrounding areas, but animals have also sometimes come-in from much further afield, on the odd occasion. Those with the longest distances travelled - are such as the records of a hedgehog from Gypsyville, HULL, East Yorkshire in August, 2012; but astonishingly from even further away was "Hedgie-Dodd", who came from CARLISLE, North-west Cumbria in October, 2009!! Hedgie-Dodd's hedgehog received record was therefore the longest distance, and this record remains unbeaten. Could she be the furthest-travelled hedgehog in the UK?!

If you are outside these areas, don't despair! Why not try searching for a contact for your area by putting in your search the name of your village, town or city, together with "wildlife rescue" or "wildlife hospital". Alternatively, I would recommend the PDSA Pet Aid hospitals - we are referred hedgehogs by the excellent Coventry branch, directly - in collaboration with them and our superb Vets here in the Hinckley area.

THINGS THAT WE CANNOT DO ANYMORE - RESOURCES NOT AVAILABLE OR CANNOT AFFORD: 1.) I'm sorry but we can NO-LONGER reply or cope with so many messages outside of our area, asking for contact details - because we don't necessarily know of any reliable ones (unless specified), and do not have the funds anymore or time to call so many people back. This July and August we just about reached breaking-point! Instead, if there ARE other areas we CAN help with, then we will indicate them here.

2.) Collection is not possible.

3.) Reply so many messages to Mobile phones, because it is just so costly!!

PLEASE SEE THESE PAGES, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

IF YOU WANT TO WRITE AND INDEED SUPPORT OUR CHARITY, OUR CURRENT MAIN CONTACT ADDRESS TO WRITE TO, IS:

Hogarth's / Spikey's Hedgehog Rescue,

"Lyndale", 23 Linden Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0AR. England, UK. Please DO NOT bring hedgehogs to this address, unless you are asked to, because it is not the main place for them to go to - MANY THANKS! PLEASE DONATE - We WELCOME ALL financial support, of any amount, which is vital if we are to continue with this much-needed work. If you wish to donate, please make cheques payable to: "Spikey's/ Hogarth's Hedgehog Rescue", and PayPal is also accepted (currently money can be sent to dave_hall4@hotmail.co.uk) - Dave is the secretary and assistant treasurer, at the moment. Please ask if you want to receive the newsletter, by post. If you are looking for a "chosen charity" to support or sponsor, then please consider us, because it really IS a worthy cause and we need to raise more money for this cause to survive! We also welcome school, college or university students writing to us - because one of our main aims is to educate about these beautiful wild creatures, and for many years now have given information to students to help with their studies. (This page last edited on Saturday, OCTOBER, 27th, 2012.)

E-MAIL: dave_hall4@hotmail.co.uk

Hogarth's / Spikey's Hedgehog Rescue