It's A Question Of A Drop of Support In An Island of Indifference

 

Take a look at this map

This the area I am supposed to cover and check up on badgers and record deaths IF any information is ever given. It is also, supposedly, the area I should cover with fox recording -not sure what distance Sarah Mills accepts but she has covered this area before.

The nearest wildlife rescue/hospital is Vale in Gloucestershire which is 100 miles there and back. The other place is in Somerset and 60+ miles there and back BUT I would never take a sick or injured fox there.

The City and County is a big area of 606.5 kilometres or 377 miles.

Why has Bristol got no wildlife hospital? For one thing money. Even a small place will cost a few thousand a year to keep going and when it comes to vets and meds per year a good few thousand would be needed. For 15 years I have suggested we need a wildlife hospital or at least a rescue where wildlife can be held until ready for release. A post just suggesting this was removed from Bristol's two big wildlife groups FB page for "campaigning" -I was simply giving the pros and cons of wildlife care but who cares?

Certainly not people in Bristol. 90% have no interest until they find injured or sick birds, foxes, badgers or deer and then they bleat loudly about "someone needs to sort this out" or "I can't do anything -can someone help?" And the verbal abuse that I can receive (and Sarah Mills has had similar) is uncalled for since in a number of cases we have to explain we are not a paid street clean team and do not pick up and dispose of dead animals.

Offer advice and there is always a reason why "I can't do that -you should!"

Again, all unpaid and sadly my old peers (who were all getting on back in the 1990s) who treated wildlife in situ because vets would not touch wild animals have all passed on. Vets do not treat wildlife for free if a full course of treatment is needed. They have gotten better and a few have gone beyond what was expected. However, some still try to charge for first response treatment -which should be free (they forget their veterinary oaths).

"Become a charity" well, there are no donations high enough for us to register a charity.

Premises. That is the biggest hurdle because you need a site that is secure and where several large holding sheds can be put up and no neighbours complaining about animal smells or noise.; Good luck with that.

It is a case of no finances and no premises. Even if enough was donated to cover costs for a year take a look at other legitimate rescues who struggle -and look at the toll it takes on the people running them.

Rescue and treatment in Bristol, as across the UK, is a case of "fly by the seat of your pants" day to day and adapt. Great things have been achieved by treating facial, leg and other wounds in situ; based on the practice of a past rescue the over 600 foxes treated and saved in Bristol in the last three years would, prior, all have been put down.

If each of the thousands of people on Bristol wildlife groups each donated £1 then that would help keep rescuing and treating going and we (myself and Sarah) are VERY grateful to those who do donate but it is a small group and it shows the lack of interest in Bristol to care for its wildlife.

That's the problem so if any multi-millionaires read this and love wildlife -get in touch!