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Volunteer sleeps over at Animal Rescue Centre
7 January 2010
An animal lover is having to sleep with the casualties tonight to ensure they get fed, watered and medicated due to the snow and ice. Founder of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) Trevor Weeks, 37 from Uckfield, will be kipping with the wildlife at WRAS's Casualty Care Centre for at least tonight whilst the snow and ice is making it difficult for volunteers to get to the centre.
"At the end of the day, the casualties have to be fed and medicated and we can't let them down and this is the only way to ensure they are looked after properly" said Trevor who celebrates completing his 25 year helping wildlife this Summer.
Trevor will be spending the night with 7 hedgehogs, 5 pigeons, a tawny owl and a jackdaw!
"These are not the only casualties which WRAS has in care but the Casualty Centre has all our casualties which are in need of treatment are specialist care, we have quite a few more animals in care but luckily they are mainly hedgehogs which are being overwintered in shed and hutches in volunteers gardens and don't need any treatment. We have several casualties ready to be released but we're waiting for the snow to disappear before they can be released" added Trevor.
WRAS has had difficult responding to calls during the wintry weather and is giving advice to those who find casualties and responding on site where possible. WRAS rescuers rescued a fox which had fallen into a basement garden at the rear of a hotel on Eastbourne seafront yesterday. A caller in Jevington wasn't so lucky yesterday evening after their cat caught a thrush, but WRAS were unable to get to her due to the snow at Jevington – unfortunately the bird died. "We are trying our best but the snow is making it difficult" said Trevor.
WRAS is a voluntary community charity and funded entirely by donations and run entirely by very dedicated volunteers.
Update
Vounteers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) will be spending a third night sleeping at their Casualty Care Centre to ensure the animal can be fed, watered and medicated. Due to the snow and ice volunteers from WRAS have spent the last two nights sleeping on the floor of the small Casualty Care Centre at Whitesmith on the A22 between Hailsham and Uckfield.
Thursday night WRAS founder Trevor Weeks, from Uckfield, spent the night followed by volunteer Brian and Moncia Russell from Eastbourne, spending Friday night at the unit. Trevor is expecting to spend tonight and possible even Sunday night sleeping in the unit to ensure they are fed, watered and medicated.
Two new wildlife casualties have come into the Care Centre on Friday. One was a very poorly hedgehog suffering from ringworm and a kestrel which had flown into a window suffering from concussion. "Both the animals must be monitored regularly and so we can't aford not to be able to get in" said Trevor Weeks.
"It certainly hasn't been the best night sleep we have had" laughed Monica Russell one of WRAS's directors who spent Friday night with her husband at the unit, "the owl is quite busy at night, you also have the noise hedgehogs eating and scratching as well as the pigeons throwing their seed through the bars of the cages. Its been an experience staying over night!"
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Press Contact: Trevor Weeks, East Sussex WRAS, 07931 523958
Help WRAS help wildlife in need by buying a wildlife adoption pack. Bird of Prey, Badger, Deer, Fox, Swan and Hedgehog available.
It is very easy to assume a bird has been abandoned when you find it on the ground, but quite often it is a fledgling learning to fly. When a fledgling takes its first flight it is going to be unsuccessful, it is natural for them to spend 2-3 days on the ground sometimes before they can fly properly. Mum and dad will normally be nearby but they do not always fly down to feed every few minutes as they are trying to encourage the youngster to fly. Both the youngster and the parents are good at hiding themselves.