00:00 Unfortunately, human beings are extremely selfish. We are blocking up holes in the garden
00:09 fences, so this is what I wanted to mention this. We are ripping up perfectly good grass
00:14 and putting astroturf down because we can't be bothered to cut the grass. We go out with
00:19 our lawnmowers, robotic, which has been in the news lately, or normal lawnmowers and
00:25 strimmers and animals get injured and killed. Sharon recently attended an international
00:30 conference where the danger of robotic lawnmowers was discussed. Some manufacturers, recognising
00:36 the problem, have pledged to redesign their appliances to be more hedgehog friendly. 2023
00:43 was our worst year for strimming injuries, so we had some horrific strimming injuries
00:48 through the rescue where people haven't checked the area before they've strimmed. A ray for
00:54 hogs is a non-for-profit animal rescue organisation run from Sharon's own home and together with
01:00 other volunteers, they offer round-the-clock rescue, then provide the best course of action
01:06 for the animal, which could include veterinary treatment and being looked after while recovering.
01:12 Additionally, Sharon advocates to inform the public with advice on how to better care for
01:18 the animals. Always have shallow trays of water out. The extreme weather that we are
01:24 having now in the UK, we're having really, really hot summers, so we're getting fly strike,
01:31 dehydrated hedgehogs coming in. Put food out if you can. So hedgehogs will eat meaty cat
01:37 food or meaty dog food. There is, people say that fishy cat food will upset a hedgehog
01:45 and it's poisonous for them. It's not. Don't use pesticides, don't use slug pellets. Even
01:52 though they're illegal, people are still using slug pellets and even if the box says it's
01:56 organic, the end state is to kill whatever eats it. Don't drop litter, you know, put
02:02 things in the bin and just a bit of thought on what you're doing in your everyday life.
02:08 Sharon's work has not gone unnoticed and this weekend she is due to receive a major community
02:14 award. I'm really honoured and I just, I wanted to say thank you to all the people that support
02:22 me. That's the biggest thing for me is I couldn't do this without everybody. And so whether
02:28 you're doing a monthly donation, whether you come here and clean the hedgehogs out for
02:32 me when I'm at work, or you go out and pick a hedgehog up or whatever it is, I just wanted
02:36 to say a huge thank you to everybody. Despite the hard work of Sharon and her volunteers,
02:42 running a rescue organisation is not without difficulties. They are struggling to find
02:47 a veterinary practice in their local area, the West Midlands, who can partner with them.
02:53 Finding one is top of the agenda for the community organisation and they say it will enable them
02:59 to help rescue and provide a better life for many more hedgehogs.
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