About The Wildlife Rescuer
Hi! My name is Sian; I am The Wildlife Rescuer (TWR).
I've always had a passion for animals, growing up with a menagerie of pets including cats, dogs, tropical fish, hamsters and birds (not all at the same time!!) It breaks my heart when I see dead animals at the side of the road, it makes me wonder whether they would have survived if the person responsible had known what to do or who to contact.
Before even considering starting my own service, I researched my local voluntary groups hoping to help out but discovered that, to my dismay, although there were plenty of pet animal sanctuaries, there were very few for wildlife. This convinced me to get the necessary training to fill the gap so I could make a positive impact in my area.
It's been a long road getting to this point - my full-time job is in the animal welfare sector, which has given me a wealth of knowledge about legislation. I was also blessed with the opportunity to combine voluntary work with training at one of the largest wildlife hospitals in the UK in 2008. There I dealt with all kinds of wild animals including foxes, hedgehogs, garden birds, birds of prey, sea birds, rabbits, leverets, deer - you name it! I've been a qualified wildlife rescuer since June 2008!
Whilst training, I noticed the difficulties faced by organisations: many caring people would ring the centre every day after coming across a sick or injured animal, but a lot of these would not, or could not, transport the animal to the centre. The animals would be collected by a member of staff when possible, but during busy periods when all resources were required at the hospital and nobody could be spared to attend a call-out, the animal would inevitably suffer. This prompted me to set up The Wildlife Rescuer.
The Wildlife Rescuer is not a hospital facility and does not house animals on a long-term basis. Its purpose is to provide a link between the person who finds a sick/injured/orphaned animal and the best source of help (a vet, wildlife centre or rehabilitator). The service is available throughout South Wales, as far north as Brecon and as far west as Swansea. However, in the case of an emergency, I can take in small birds and animals temporarily.
The Wildlife Rescuer is a registered carer and member of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
At present, I work full-time and am studying for a BSc (Hons) in Animal Welfare. I still volunteer when I can at the wildlife centre whose excellent staff taught me all I know and I am also planning a trip to South Africa in late 2009 to work with their wildlife to enhance my knowledge.
If ever you need my help, I am just a phone call away - 07527 055 332. For non-urgent queries, please email rather than call: thewildliferescuer@yahoo.co.uk
Thank you xXx