It Isn't All Fluffy Animals

 It is no exaggeration to say that at times wildlife work can be gut-wrenching. I just made this entry in the Bristol Fox Deaths Register 2024:

"Vixen in poor condition under car. Taken to vet where they found her to be 5-6 years old, had a healed fracture and some mastitis and appeared to have recently given birth. Condition suggests possible miscarriage and vixen was giving up. She was given paracetamol by vet and put back where found in case there were cubs. She was still there next day and died on way to vets."

The rescuer was, of course, Sarah Mills and for that reason alone the vixen was given a chance which, if there were cubs, she would have taken to get back to them.

The absolute will power of foxes to stay alive is staggering so what happened here shows there was really no hope for the vixen -she had given up on life.

When you ask yourself "Should I donate to a wildlife charity?" think about how a donation will contribute to helping sick and injured animals and also ask yourself whether you could do this work 24/7 and 365 days of the year?