Katy's Wildlife Rescues

03/12/2025

This one comes with a personal update❤️
The story starts in early September .. I returned from the National Bat Conference in Durham (with Bat Rehabilitation Ireland and Conor Kelleher ) on a complete high from learning, meeting like-minded people and gaining some brilliant equipment for bats. But less than 2 days later my car died an engine death (repairable only with great time and cost).
Then within 2 weeks my best friend of 13 years, Hagrid, died😢💔

He was an old boy and the most amazing dog. Irreplaceable.

I didn't ever give him credit on this page but he was always in the background, watching as I give my care to other animals, keeping a distance at a word, waiting at home when I transport sensitive creatures or getting his walk along the way to collect others.
With all that he put up with, Hagrid gave me the quality time, cuddles and companionship when times were hard. My rock.

I'm so glad I've had reduced intakes for the last season so I could focus on some important things and spend quality time with my dear friend in the winter of his life🥲💖

Within 2 days of his passing, I moved to my lovely aunt and uncles to mind their pets (as prearranged). The dogs kept me occupied and filled the 4 pawed void for me, I had a temporary car and different environment, and whirlwind of activity, it was exactly what I needed.
Skip ahead to now after 2 months, I got my car back and moved home yesterday.
The kestrel was home, a few days ahead of me, (not alone, I was feeding and caring daily!).

This lead up reflection has led to lastnight at 9pm, after settling in and warming up the house. First night in since September.

I went to go outside and in the dark, I stopped at the doorway because right under my foot I saw a dark shape silhouetted on the ground.
In the faint moonlight I could see the pale circle of the remainder of the oats I throw out for my robin and the shape within looked like a large black woolly sock. I thought maybe I dropped something from one of my bags on my way in earlier.. but it had an air about it😅
My outdoor bulb needs replacing and instead of getting a torch I nudged it cautiously with my foot. It rolled😂
Even with all my experience I still didn't realise what it was, so ran in and got a light and when I lit it up - the relief that it was a little hedgehog that had been eating the oat dust!
It was dark- a safe time to see a hedgehog, but it was the 2nd December! So I took him in for a weigh and he's only 535g and obviously trying to put on last minute stores for winter, he was very hungry.

So, now he's in an outdoor hedgey enclosure getting a b&b until he's bulked up some more.
I am a bit in shock but not surprised at the same time, that a young hedgehog has welcomed me home on the night I got back after such a big chapter🥰🦔

I haven't released any hedgehogs within 2km in a few years so the wild ones must be telling campfire stories about me😜

Sending hugs to anyone who is going through things they don't talk about and thanks for continued support and friendship❤️

02/12/2025

This lucky juvenile male kestrel was found on the road by the lovely William and Jane from Glenbeigh area.
The poor fella had been clipped by a car and left stunned with an injured wing. He was taken to Mid Kerry Veterinary clinic. Vet nurse Sara gave him excellent care and x-rays - no breaks!
And the final stage of his journey; Sara contacted Susan Bat Rehabilitation Ireland who contacted me to see if I could rehabilitate him the rest of the way.. amazingly I was 10 minutes away on a drive to collect something else at the time! It was meant to be🥰
He is doing well, wing injury is healing, he's a good weight. He'll be graduating to the wild enclosure very soon. And his care will continue until he checks all the boxes for a successful release😊

The list of great people who make a rescue happen can be very long! 🙏
I have to thank William and Jane for saving him and for finding my paypal link and making a lovely donation for a bird of prey food order. And connecting several more kind individuals who sent some additional funds to the wildlife account. This helps so much, thank you💖
This year I didn't fundraise, because of my busy schedule.
Sara, your donation of extra meds for him was perfect, I'm so grateful🥰

I'll post more updates in due time🦅

24/11/2025

New drone surveys show that bird flu has wiped out nearly half of the females in the planet’s biggest elephant seal population. The staggering loss highlights how rapidly the virus is spreading through wildlife and how much remains unknown about its long-term impact on marine ecosystems.

See what researchers uncovered: https://bit.ly/49BmYId

📸 Connor Bamford / British Antarctic Survey

22/11/2025

Catch up Ireland! The Labbé Law: Enacted in 2014, this law progressively banned pesticides in public areas, including parks, public gardens, and cemeteries, with the ban on cemeteries becoming fully binding in 2021.
Neonicotinoid ban: A separate ban on certain neonicotinoids, such as acetamiprid, has been in place since 2018 due to concerns about their toxicity to bees and human health.

Insect-eating bird species are making slight recoveries in France according to the results of the first study to examine wildlife after a bee-harming pesticide was banned back in 2018.

The population of birds has increased by 2-3% in France since 2022. This conclusion has been pulled from a sample of over 1,900 sites across France where ornithologists for the French Breeding Survey collected their data.

15/11/2025

So true, I've been going at half capacity this year yet still feel each one in hand and each call and message. The biggest hearts bear the biggest burdens.. and there are many big hearts across the country, caring selflessly for our wildlife🙏✨️❤️✨️

So... there is another side to wildlife & animal rescue. It's not glamorous and it's not something that often shared - but it should be. We NEED to talk about the emotional toll of caring.

There is a mental and emotional toll, whether you volunteer for an hour or live and breathe rescue work. Behind every rescue centre (who is doing it for the right reasons), there is an invisible side the work entails.

1. Compassion fatigue - its an emotional and physical exhaustion due to constantly exposing ourselves to the suffering of others

2. Burnout – the physical, mental and emotional cost of always being needed. Always needing to be in at least 2 places at once.

3. Guilt - feeling responsible the rescued animal didn't make it, even though you had no hand in its suffering or abuse. Feeling guilty you didn't do more to save it, yet there was nothing more you possibly could have done.

4. Witnessing suffering - exposing ourselves to neglect & cruelty comes at a price. Emotionally it's draining and extremely upsetting that a little life is hurting!

5. Making unthinkable decisions – there is only so much we can do. There is a limit to funds, a limit to how much science and medicine can heal. Sometimes an animal is just too far gone and its suffering is too great

This post is not to get attention or to make you feel sorry for rescue volunteers or workers but to try and humanise it all.
You see, the truth is, saving animals often leaves scars on the people doing the saving. It's not just having fun and playing with cute animals.

*this post is dedicated to marshmallow. She passed the same night she was admitted - weighing only 84g*

08/11/2025

Following the recent and very sad story of the beautiful male otter, whose body has gone for testing at Limerick Regional Veterinary Lab - wanted to share a living otter I filmed in the week following.
A wildlife rehabilitators life and ecololgists life are full of seeing horrors, feeling relief of helping, witnessing death along with the lifesaving. Supporters also witness these things with heart.

We sometimes miss the pure moments of the beautiful creatures actually managing to still thrive and can hope that this is not a fading glimpse but a view of something returning, life that we can look forward to more of, with the right balance in place🌍❤️🦦

02/11/2025

28/10/2025

Bat Appreciation Week🦇
This little female Common P**istrelle, P**i, was found on the floor of the cathedral in Killarney, covered in webs. She weighed 3.8g which is much too low for a bat at this time of year, and an indicator that she'd been trapped for some time and unable to drink or feed.
Lucky girl aas found by Julia, who contacted Bat Rehabilitation Ireland who was able to connect us for a rescue and rehab. P**i flew in mild weather weighing 4.8g after some time in care with me.
I am housesitting at the moment but was able to bring a bat net over and care package for this pip🥰
Bats are under appreciated, fascinating, skilled and mammals with a vital role in our ecosystem. Not to mention, absolutely adorable, harmless little sweethearts🦇❤️

24/10/2025

Working with Sneem Tidytowns I helped design a winning bat garden plan for the village❤️🌷🌻🐝🦋🦇
It will be a fun and beneficial project over the coming months.
Thank you Bat Conservation Ireland , we love our bats here🥰

23/10/2025

A little cutey patootie🥰
This little P**i's story soon

18/10/2025

Beautiful male Otter (Lutra Lutra) Madra Uisce / Dobharchú as gaeilge.
Found yesterday in a local beachside residents garden in Kerry.
Alive in the photo*
He was struggling and unfortunately passed away not long after this once he was inside a carrier for transport.
I was organising to bring him to Wildlife Rescue Cork.
Instead I brought him to NPWS for further investigation by the Regional vets.
The otter was showing signs of mild neurological behaviour and besides the obvious, he would have been in prime condition with no sign of injury.
Avian Flu cannot be ruled out.
So sad to see a gorgeous creature like this, pass so suddenly💔
were at the ready and worth a call if you see a suspect case🙏