This CrowdFunding will contribute to the on-going costs of caring for hedgehogs at Haydock Hedgehog Helpers rescue, which is a small self-funded rescue in St.Helens, Merseyside. Each hog cost approximately £150 each to care for if admitted with average level requirements (such as worm burden, dehydration, underweight, etc.), and in July alone I had 22 hedgehogs admitted to the rescue - with gratefully received finder donations accounting for just 4% of the costs of rehabilitation.

Vets bills are always a concern, as is buying the very expensive medications needed (such as a single bottle of antibiotics costing £80!). The rescue needs needles, syringes, medical equipment, hutches or 'zoo zone' cages, heat pads, cleaning products, rubber gloves, saline, hoglet milk, feeding teats, hay, food (including medicated stuff that's nearly £3 tin!) sample pots for poo, sterilising tablets... the list goes on!

Some exact numbers of where your donations go..

Antibiotics - £80

Antibiotics suitable for hoglets - £50

Panomec wormer (for roundworm) - £40

Levacide wormer (for lungworm) - £18

Imaverol (bath for ringworm) - £35

Pain relief - £50

Saline - £20 per month (at least one bag)

Food- £5 per week per hedgehog

Hoglet milk - £20 per tin

Needles and syringes - £30 per month

These are just a few of the items I need to buy as an ongoing thing, and do not include (amongst many other things) the significant cost of vets bills as this varies so much to place an average cost on. Additionally this does not include any admin costs such as paper, printer cartridges etc for patient notes, leaflets, business cards, etc.

Every single donation makes a difference; no matter the amount, and I am extremely grateful for your generosity and kindness.

As a celebration for reaching 500 likes on our Facebook page, we are running a pledge drive to ask people to set up a monthly donation of £3 per month (the price of a coffee) for 12 months. When you click 'Donate' on this page you will be given the option of one off or monthly.

xXx Thank you xXx

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A bit about Haydock Hedgehog Helpers rescue...

Sources suggest that hedgehog population numbers have declined from over 36 million in the 1950’s to now just over 1 million, with around 50% lost in the last decade alone (see websites such as Amazing Grace, Hedgehog Street and British Hedgehog Preservation Society)

Whilst I cannot save them all, what I can do is contribute to the wider community of rescues working tirelessly to help protect and patch-up the ones in our local areas.

Having volunteered at a hedgehog rescue for nearly two years I decided to attend the Vale wildlife hospital's Hedgehog First Aid and Rehabilitation course in October 2018. As far as I'm aware there are no other Hedgehog rescue centres in St.Helens, with the nearest ones (with one exception) being 20 miles away or a 45 minute drive. Therefore there is a real need for a locally based rescue to support the hedgehog population right on our doorstep.

Every part of every donation will 100% go towards the hedgehogs. Please - even if it's just £5 - help me to help these lovely creatures, they deserve it xXx