A WOMAN who cares for hedgehogs at her York home needs your help.

Sarah Dixon runs Helping Haxby Hedgehogs from her home in Haxby, on the outskirts of York, and she has been able to help more than 100 injured and unwell animals.

In the past, Sarah’s organization has received two ward grants in the past to ensure that she has the vital equipment needed to ensure the health of any poorly hogs or hoglets that may end up within her care. These grants covered the cost of an incubator, for baby hogs, and a nebulizer, aimed at treating lung worm – a condition that can prove fatal.

Sarah said: “I was astounded by the kindness of people and the support that I’ve received in keeping the hospital up and running. In the first 24 hours of the fundraiser being up and running, I’ve been lucky enough to receive almost £200 in donations.”

As winter sets in and that number looks to grow, she is raising money to insulate her garage in order to provide the safe and warm environment that hedgehogs need to recover in.

Sarah said that at first, it started with one, then three more came along overnight, with yet more to follow.

Sarah started off her rescue in the dining room off the back of a fostering experience but as the numbers of animals coming to her for help grew in number, it became essential for her to expand out.

As of right now, the set up in her garage contains two incubators, four makeshift ‘ICU’ beds (complete with heat pads, and five or six additional beds made up of storage crates, newspaper, and mosquito nets for any hogs who may need additional care.

Now, she’s looking for donations to help fund the insulation of her current hospital.

At the time of writing, there are currently £240 worth of donations – bringing Sarah almost halfway towards to her target figure of £500.

According to Sarah, the best way for a person to help a hedgehog is to remember the slogan ‘out in the day, not okay’ and to monitor any creature spotted out during daylight hours.

Furthermore, their diet is restricted by a lack of wild spaces as gardens become more manicured – naturally, they should be looking to eat beetles but, due to a lack of natural prey, they are more regularly being forced to feed on slugs, snails, and worms which carry parasites and can cause hogs to become sick. By creating wild zones in your gardens or small log piles, you can set up hedgehog safe zones where they’ll be able to feed safely.

To donate go to Sarah’s Facebook page at Helping Haxby’s Hedgehogs and the go-fund me link can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/insulate-the-hedgehog-hospital?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer.

Furthermore, Sarah's Amazon wishlist can be found here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/CTBJ950K6DED/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?fbclid=IwAR1hJhKQypizk9wAP3vQHkLNnzC13E01NiIK3Q4I_nxPU745hiZmKJ02XMs 

or a Paypal QR code to donate to the cause.

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