Gills logs and blogs.

Gill's Hog Blog number 12.

As the year draws to a close. What have I learned?

The end of a year offers an opportunity to reflect on many aspects of life, and life as a rescuer is just one part of my own life. I have taken  over 200 hedgehogs in this year. Some have thrived and some have not. Such is the balance of rescuing. By the time hedgehogs are seen they are usually pretty poorly and the stress of capture often accentuates  their problems . Time is of the essence if they are to survive.

I have learned...

•  that people love hedgehogs. I am reminded daily of that by the donations and gifts that come my way to be used in the rescue. There are some very kind people out there.

•  that hogs are a complex little mammal and the odds are stacked up against them.

•  that by placing a shallow bowl of water out and some cat biscuits, lives can be and are saved.

• a degree of detachment. These creatures are just so fragile (especially the tiny hoglets) and can deteriorate so rapidly. It is best to help where I can and accept where I can't and acknowledge that a warm and comfortable death may be the only thing I can offer.

• that we humans are the greatest threat to the survival of this iconic creature which is now endangered and facing huge obstacles to its survival.

•  that other rescuers are very generous with their information and experience.

•  that it is extremely difficult to take time out/away and often hard to say 'No' but I have managed to keep the in patient numbers manageable.

•  that on the whole I enjoy the time I spend in 'The 'palace' and there is immense satisfaction in rehabilitating a sick animal and returning it to the wild.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas. I will  start my christmas day by cleaning out cages and gazing down a microscope as I do every day and I have learned that that is just fine.

Thank you so much for your continued interest and support.

                                                      .

Rescue, rehabilitate, release.

Gill Dixon runs Pricklington Palace Hedgehog rescue here in Howden. Purely voluntarily and single handily. Please visit  www.facebook.com/pricklingtonpalace/ to support her work. Donations via www.paypal.me/Dixon1829