South Shore wildlife rescuer raising money to save animals' lives

Mel Greenhalgh, who runs Brambles Wildlife Rescue in South Shore, is hoping to raise £4,500 to buy veterinary cages for the sick and injured birds and small creatures she takes in.

Mel set up the rescue early last year, after volunteering for other rescues and realising there were very few rehabilitation centres for wildlife on the Fylde coast.

Since then, she has taken in animals and birds from as far as Bolton many of which had been injured or orphaned.

"We mostly take in garden birds, pigeons and doves, rabbits, mice and hedgehogs," Mel said.

"In the last 10 months, we've taken in 114 wildlife, and 81 of them survived and were rehabilitated.

"We don't put any wildlife to sleep unless they're in ongoing pain, and we find sanctuary homes for disabled birds so they still have a chance at life.

"The problem with taking them in is that nearly all of them have terrible diseases such as salmonella, and other severe bacterial strains or viruses that can easily spread."

Many of the animals brought to Brambles have broken limbs, wounds, viruses, bacterial disease, worm burdens, or fungal problems - or have been orphaned and are unable to look after or feed themselves.

The running costs of the rescue are between £300-400 per month - and Mel is also busy working full-time as a cognitive behavioural therapist.

She uses any donations received from kind-hearted members of the public to buy medicine, pay for treatment and give the injured wildlife a warm home while they recover.

Mel even makes some of the materials herself, including shoes for a baby collared dove - lovingly named Penelope - who was blown from her nest.

The shoes have enabled Penelope to learn to stand on her own two feet after suffering with a calcium deficiency, in anticipation for release back into the wild when she recovers.

"We're trying to raise the funds for wipe-clean veterinary recovery cage units to upgrade our current hutches and cages in order to give injured, orphaned and poorly wildlife the best chances of recovery and release them back to the wild," Mel continued.

"We receive no government or supported funding and the costs are currently covered by ourselves and the generosity of public donations.

"The running costs of helping wildlife in our care already amounts to over £300 a month, which makes it impossible to buy the recovery cages we need without help.

"We are so grateful for any financial support we receive to help us keep going, and every penny counts towards the treatment and care of rescued local wildlife."

To donate to Brambles Wildlife Rescue's fundraiser, click here.