Wildlife appeal: The chance to live out a natural life

Threatening innocent lives

Our modern way of life is a considerable threat to Britain’s wildlife. Each spring our inspectors are inundated with emergency calls to help animals hurt in road traffic accidents, injured or trapped in garden equipment, fishing tackle, tin cans and other litter. All such incidents can prevent these animals from living out their natural lives and may affect more than one animal if they have a mate or their young are left untended. Last year over 16,000 wild animals needed urgent treatment and care in our specialist wildlife centres.

Around 50 per cent of the 1.1m phone calls to the RSPCA’s 24 hour cruelty and advice line each year concern wildlife. This means we receive one wildlife related call every minute 

Many thousands of sick, injured or orphaned wild animals need treatment and care before being released back into the wild. Wild animals are difficult to keep in captivity because they get stressed very easily. The RSPCA is dedicated to rehabilitating them through our four specialist wildlife centres: Mallydams Wood in East Sussex, West Hatch in Somerset, Stapeley Grange in Cheshire and East Winch in Norfolk. Each has a veterinary surgery with specialist equipment, isolation cubicles and a variety of paddocks, pools, pens and aviaries to accommodate the many species admitted. 

A member of the public spotted this hedgehog wandering on the road with the tin can stuck over his head, his spines preventing him from removing it. The hedgehog was brought to East Winch where the tin can was removed under anaesthetic. After a short stay he was successfully released.

How you can help
On average, it costs £787,000 each year to run a wildlife centre. Because of the diversity of animals we take in, the cost of caring for them can vary considerably. Your support will make a difference to many thousands of animals who might otherwise suffer and perish. Please help as much as you can.

• £3,300 could pay for a hedgehog shed for hundreds of patients to recover in over time
• £2,500 could pay for radio tracking equipment to monitor released roe deer fawns
• £1,100 could pay for a pallet of fish to feed recovering seals for 3-4 weeks

Donate now - call 0300 123 0346 quoting Wildlife HV.

To discuss your donation or find out more about RSPCA projects, contact Sarah Donnelly on 0300 123 0220.

Wildlife appeal, launched spring 2011

View the full appeal: Wildlife Appeal (PDF 2MB)