Local resident Janet Kelly has a new job as an ambulance driver …for local wildlife. Janet is helping out a Watford Vet by collecting injured wild animals that have been brought in to the Practice and transporting them to St Tiggywinkles Centre at Haddenham near Aylesbury.
And there have been quite a lot of creatures needing Janet’s taxi service. So far her passengers have included one baby badger,a hedgehog, a fox, two Goldfinches and a Treecreeper.
” Tiggywinkles is amazing”: says Janet, “I once took a sparrow out there in my riding hat. It had a deformed wing but they cared for it. They have a viewing window in place so they can watch the birds without disturbing them and somebody is constantly going along feeding each bird at separate bowls. They have a board up with the casualties listed just as they do in hospitals – and they are dealing with hundreds at a time. They are open 24 hrs a day, every day, including Christmas and you can visit at certain times. There’s a brilliant aviary and you can walk around the pens to see the recuperating patients, it’s great for kids too – there are hedgehog talks and children’s days ”
The Tiggywinkles team are careful in choosing a location to re-release animals that have been treated.
www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/
Tiggywinkles is open Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm until Easter then Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm . For wildlife casualties, they are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a Visitor Centre with Red Kite flight aviaries, coffee shop, gift shop and play area