Visits to the rescue

We all love hedgehogs and we know you do too. However, hedgehogs are wild animals and that means they are different from the animals you may have come across as pets or in a zoo.

We are a hospital for sick and injured hedgehogs so we are not able to have visitors into the rescue. This is for a number of reasons:

1. The hedgehogs are wild animals. They have never had interactions with humans before entering the rescue. They fear humans and think we are potential predators. As carers, we keep our interactions to a minimum and we release them as soon as they are healthy. Any additional visitors would cause further distress to the hedgehogs.

2. The hedgehogs in the rescue are there because they are sick or injured. They are at their weakest and most vulnerable. Some have injuries or are being treated for diseases. These diseases can pass to humans so we need to keep everyone safe.

3. Wild Hogs Hedgehog Rescue is a rehabilitation centre, and follow the best practice from the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. There are many places where visitors are not routinely allowed to enter - surgical wards at veterinary practices, emergency service providers, and hospitals. Wild Hogs Hedgehog Rescue is one of those special places that cannot take visitors.

However, we think there's plenty we can do to have fun and learn about hedgehogs.

School & Community Group Talks

We offer a range of talks to schools and community groups delivered at your group venue. We can bring our 'hogstacle course' to your school or community group along with photos, cuddly toy hedgehogs and spines that enable us to share our passion for hedgehogs.

We also have speakers for WI groups, gardening groups and local community meetings.

Student Placements

We host a number of work experience placements for students every year and support Duke of Edinburgh volunteers. Please email us if you are interested in a placement.

Open Weekend

Once a year, we open our doors to the public at our Open Weekend. We ensure any acute casualties are not in the rescue and we have pre-booked escorted tours of small groups to ensure that the hedgehogs are not overwhelmed with the noise.