Author Archive: hallswood

Pig – A rescue story

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Holly used to enjoy a cuddle with the staff 🙂

Holly was found cold and injured at the side of a road. Where she came from is a bit of a mystery but she is lucky to be alive!
She was brought to us by a member of the public and over the weeks that followed it was touch and go. Her tiny tummy was upset and wouldn't allow her to keep all the food down. She suffered from pneumonia and she had some cuts and bruises.
I will never forget when I got the "all clear" text from Lyz. "I think she will be alright. Just look at her!" she said. The picture she sent showed a piglet with what I can only describe as a cheeky smile on her face!

Today? Well, today she is no longer that little girl. Instead, she is the same size as a little pony 🙂

When Holly first came to us we created an appeal to help us with the costs of her treatments and special food. Without the help, we received we would have struggled. Always try to keep an eye on the emergency appeals we put up as they do save lives!

 

Hedgehog – a rescue story

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HEDGEHOGS

Hedgehogs are funny little creatures and truly wild at heart.
Every year we rescue many 100s of them to then release them back into the wild as soon as possible. You can often tell what season it is just by looking at the reasons they come to us: more strimmer and tool injuries in the spring and early summer, burn injuries from bonfires in late summer, and hoglets too small to hibernate in late autumn and at the start of winter.

Most years we will have between 100 and 250 overwintering with us at the Sanctuary and with foster carers. To successfully survive a long winter’s sleep they need to weigh around 600 grams or be the size of a grapefruit when curled up. This is because they won't have enough fat reserves to see them through the winter if not.

Hedgehogs often have a second litter late in the season and as these usually don’t have enough time to build up those important fat reserves, they end up in rescue centers to be released in the spring. If you find a hedgehog out during daytime or a baby hedgehog late in autumn, it usually needs to be picked up, secured in a box with a hot water bottle or similar, and brought to your nearest rescue center. If you are in doubt, just call and ask for advice! You will find more information under "I found an animal...."

One of the many rescue stories we want to share with you started with a phone call from a lady. She found a hedgehog stuck inside a watering can she had left outside in her garden. As it was tipped on its side, this hedgehog squeezed in only to find himself stuck. The lady found him a few days later and he then had hypothermia as he was sitting in about 1 inch of water. Luckily for this little hog, after being released from his watery prison and warmed up a bit he made a full recovery and was released a few weeks later.

The lesson here is to always look at your garden through an animal’s point of view; a watering-can might look tempting for a curious little hog!

Lyz Hall

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Lyz Hall is more than the owner of the sanctuary. She is the heart of Hallswood. She is passionate about animals and birds and her knowledge is almost endless. At the same time, she is very humble and she hates the word "expert". "The moment you call yourself an expert you stop learning," she says.

Living on-site, she is at work 24/7, every day of the year and it is only in the last few years she has started to be able to take a few hours off every now and then.

Without any doubt, as much as her passion is for all animals (maybe not goats...), it is horses that make her smile.

 

Hi Lyz!

How long have you worked with Hallswood?
-I started on site in November 2003.

Could you tell us more about what you work with?
-I do the rehabilitation, socialisation and medication of a lot of the animals at the site. Oh and clean up a lot of muck!

What is your favourite part of working for Hallswood?
-Knowing that we made a difference. I love the sound of happy animals eating.

And dare I ask what the worst part is?
-Not being able to help them in time! Often birds and animals get here too late and no matter how hard we try it isn't going to be a happy ending 🙁

What would you say to encourage someone to help us by joining our crazy family of volunteers?
-Well. Being crazy is not compulsory but it definitely helps! Hallswood gives second chances to not just animals but people too. Everyone needs a friend: four legs or two!

What is your favorite British wildlife?
-Horses! Oh, wildlife 😀 Wild horses? 😀Famous last words: what is your favourite saying?
-You can't save them all, but you can save this one!

Jenna Painter

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Jenna practically grew up at the sanctuary and is now in charge of our animal welfare team, and the bird mummy for all baby birds brought to us.
On paper, she is working 5 days a week but the reality is that she is working much more than that. During baby bird season she will bring the smallest baby birds with her home to ensure that she can keep an eye on them at all time. How about that for dedication? 🙂

 

Hi Jenna!

How long have you worked with Hallswood?
-I first started helping with the sanctuary animals in 2006 when I was 14 and joined the Saturday group, and have gradually worked up to being there 5 days a week.

Could you tell us more of what you work with?
-As head of animal welfare I deal with a wide variety of livestock on a daily basis, mainly wildlife such as hedgehogs and garden birds, poultry, rabbits, pigs, corvids, the list goes on! I also supervise volunteers and help train them on how we look after our livestock. We have a great team of volunteers who help with feeding and mucking out, as well as cleaning carriers and cages. I help sort through donations for the sanctuary of which we get a lot (big thank you) Also spring 2020 I decided to take over handrearing of baby birds which has been amazing!

What is your favourite part of working for Hallswood?
-Love handrearing baby birds, just being outside in the woods, the fact the animals dont complain about my singing! There is never a dull day at the sanctuary that's for sure!

And dare I ask what the worst part it?
-Having to go in with the horrible talking magpie who loves to attack people. He now has a squirrel friend who joins in with the bullying.

What would you say to encourage someone to help us by joining our crazy family of volunteers?
-We have an amazing group of people who volunteer in many different ways, there are so many ways to get involved (even for people who dont like to get their hands dirty!) So whatever you enjoy and whatever skill set you may have is appreciated.

What is your favourite British wildlife?
-Probably pigeons, they are amazing animals, or gold finches which I hand reared a few of this year and are the cutest little birds

Famous last words: what is your favourite saying?
-When I have an animal crisis I ask myself "what would Lyz do?"

Rachael Williams

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Rachael was a volunteer for many years before joining our team at the sanctuary full time in 2020. To say that Rachael loves animals is the understatement of the year 😀 Just look at the picture - this is Rachael, in her living room, having a cuddle with her pet duck!

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Rachael!

How long have you worked with Hallswood?

-I think i have worked for hallswood for about 5 years. I started my very first day in the kitchen at one of the events they had at Hellesdon High school. And boy was it busy! I was hooked after that. I started to work in one of the charity shops on a Saturday. Maria then organised volunteer days at the sanctuary and I went along. And now they are stuck with me and can't get rid of me lol

Could you tell us more of what you work with?
-I work with all the animals that live at the sanctuary. From ducks chickens or tiny baby mice. There are many animals that live at Hallswood lots of cats dogs birds. We even had someone bring in a poorly toad.

What is your favourite part of working for Hallswood?
-The animals!
And dare I ask what the worst part is?

-The worst part is when an animal passes away. It's always sad. But we help the animals as much as we can. But sometimes there is nothing we can do. We make sure the animal is not in pain we make sure they are comfortable.

What would you say to encourage someone to help us by joining our crazy family of volunteers?
-I would say if you want to have the best teacher and learn about animal care come down and have a chat with Jen and Lyz. If you are more of an indoor person talk to Maria who is in charge of the shops. Hallswood is my second family. <3

What is your favourite British wildlife?
-Foxes are my favourite they are such beautiful wonderful animals I love it after we have given Pablo [Resident fox at the sanctuary] a clean bed how he jumps and rolls around in his fresh clean straw. And when you go to feed him he makes the cute little purring noise Xxx 

Famous last words: what is your favourite saying?
-My favourite saying is I will ask Jen or lyz lol

Hare – A rescue story

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It was a beautiful, warm spring day when the two ladies phoned us from Reepham. They had found a tiny little hare by the side of a field. Luckily Lyz was close by and she rushed over just to find a 12 – 14-day old leveret (baby hare). Apart from a few small injuries he seemed ok but very cold.

Lyz went back to her van and put the heating on full. Sitting there sweating like mad the baby was slowly warming up.

It is a common mistake to think that just because the weather is warm nothing can be cold, instead it is common for baby animals and birds to die due to hypothermia even in the summer. In general, babies need their mothers and just because it is warm for us it doesn’t mean that it is warm for them.

This story ended well and the little leveret survived and was later released close to our horse field. A sunny day he was seen teamed up with a local hare girl and we are sure that they went on to live happily ever after. 🙂

Fox – A rescue story

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Ferdinand came to us as an imprinted youngster a few years back and is now a permanent resident at the Sanctuary. As much as we strive to release animals back to the wild sometimes it is just not possible and this was one of those cases.

A lovely lady was walking her dog when she found a fox laying next to a field.
She could see no movement so decided to investigate a bit closer. Sadly the little fox had just died but she could tell that it was a female as the fox was lactating. She quickly walked over to the nearby farm to see if the farmers knew where the fox den was and the lady was given a reply, although not a very polite one!
After a while, he agreed to tell her where the fox cub was as long as she “made it disappear” and so she did; she brought it home and hand-reared him. Sadly, as often happens when people with no experience try to save wildlife themselves instead of involving a rescue, this little fox became so used to humans and food on a plate that he was more of a dog than a wild animal.
Ferdinand spent the first year of his life with the lady but after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer Hallswood was contacted. When Lyz walked into the living room there she found a lovely fox sitting in the settee next to his dog pal watching Jeremy Kyle on tv!

If you find wildlife in need of help please always contact a local animal rescue. We have the experience, the facilities and the medication to give them the best chance of a full recovery and then release back to where they belong.