16/09/2024
Please guys…seriously 🙏🏽
**I AM A RESCUE SERVICE THAT TAKES IN AND TREATS SICK AND INJURED HEDGEHOGS. NOT A TAXI OR COLLECTION SERVICE**
With so many rescues in Kent now closed and us now covering a much, much larger area, I simply don't have enough time with the amount of hedgehogs coming in to be able to care for the current residents, work on the ones arriving and travel around Kent collecting hedgehogs because the finders don't want to travel so far to get them into a rescue with space.
I've heard every excuse in the book. You wouldn't believe the amount of people that can't drive but have 4 vehicles parked on the driveway when you turn up. People who can drive but can't bring them because they have kids (?!) People who don't want to put the hedgehogs in their cars because they might get it dirty.
I get it's an inconvenience for you and may take a little re-organising of your day, but please bear in mind that you are not the only call i have had that day and all of you expect me to come and get the hedgehog you have found as well as trying to save it.
I regularly spend 4 or more hours in the car on a daily basis travelling to Dartford, Medway, Maidstone, Sheppy, to every other corner of Kent, on multiple collections every day, for 24 hours a day, and it has to stop. Its something I just do not have enough hours to keep doing and I will not burn myself out trying to cater to people and their excuses anymore. Never mind the fuel costs. I'm getting to the point that I feel like my need to make sure these beautiful animals not suffer for any longer than necessary, is being taken advantage of and am a bit sick of it. If I get annoyed at yet another call from someone expecting my taxi services, who doesn't drive, doesn't have any family that drives, has no friends that drive and has absolutely no neighbours that can drive, I get people being crappy with me.
I do what I can but with 5 to 15 hedgehogs coming in each day, cleaning and caring for the up to 150 hedgehogs already here, plus the 2 hour+ round trips to see the only vet that I can find to treat them is impossible. I don't get paid, I am the only 24 hour place that even bothers to answer the phone and give advice after 6 o clock and I'm getting tired of people taking the mick.
Ask your partners, friends, neighbours...EVERYONE you know before calling me and expecting a collection service. It's great that you've taken the time to pick up a hedgehog and make a call but to wash your hands of it once that call is made and lay the blame on me when it dies is completely unacceptable.
If it carries on, I'll just stop answering calls and record a message saying that you need to sort out transport before ringing me back for help. I can't think of any other solution.
The endless tasks, immense pressure, physical, mental and emotional strain involved with running a rescue is impossible to explain and is the reason there are so few of us left. Please don't add to it because it's a bit of a bother getting them to where they need to go.
If you are able to become a volunteer driver for genuine cases, we are desperate for people all over Kent that don't mind travelling to the few rescues left that have space. Please send me a WhatsApp message if you can help.
07825 952201
