10 things for Hedgehogs: Part 9 who to go to for help

    

Who are you going to call?

When you find wildlife in trouble, the circumstances you are in, may not always lead us to remember who we can ask for help and sometimes the information which we look up on line if we are trying to administer first aid ourselves may not always be right if we don't check our sources. 

Things that you can do to help = Be Prepared

Sometimes the incorrect first aid can do more harm then good, so its important to be prepared:

1. Do a simple check to see what wildlife hospitals, vets, and wildlife first aiders are in the area you spend the most time in. For most people this may be home and where they study/work. 
• Check using https://helpwildlife.co.uk/ to find local wildlife rescue centres
• Call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society on 01584 890 801 to ask for details of your local hedgehog rescue volunteer
• Check with your local vets if they treat injured wildlife to allow you to take animals to them
2. Make a note of the details in your phones or on a card in your wallet
3. Make a note of reputable sites for wildlife first aid information, so that if you are looking in a rush, you can find the information quickly. Examples of good sites which have verified information are
• https://helpwildlife.co.uk/ - all wildlife
• https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog/ - hedgehogs
• https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/garden-wildlife/ for information on disease that can affect wildlife in our gardens. Useful if you are trying to figure out if something that you have spotted is something to worry about or not. 
4. If you ever find that you have to transport an injured animals some key equipment that can help are: 
• a sturdy box (with lid to stop injured animals trying to escape) for transport
• thick gloves like gardening gloves for safely picking up animals (for them and you)
• Towels or thick material to help cushion the animal being transported/help provide warmth.  

If you remember that list and the reasons for it, you can always use that to channel offers for help from/requests for help to any passers-by productively.  As people can be asked to go to a local shop to get a box etc. while you wait with or near an injured animal.

Don't forget to join our social media campaign using art to showcase the impacts of our 10 things, on wildlife, especially hedgehogs - we are challenging everyone to take part. Help us tell people where they can go to find help if they find an injured hedgehog (and other wildlife).

Draw - Photograph - Sculpt - Act -Mime etc. and post on all platforms. Please tag @HogFriendly @SHkingstonuni and add as many different people as possible - ask them to make their own version and then keep spreading the word. Use #Hedgehoghelpers #KUHoglets #HHfacts on all of your posts so that we can try to find them. 

Lets try to take over social media with #Hedgehoghelpers #HHfacts