This is a long post but, I think, a really important one, based on current events…
A couple of days ago I was invited to sign a petition calling for the government to regulate Animal Rescues, including Wildlife Rescues. Whilst I 100% share the sentiment behind it, I want to share my thoughts, because…
I found the petition a bit thought provoking because, on the same day, I saw a Guardian article, referencing a law already in place to prevent unnecessary suffering to poultry by prohibiting them being carried upside down by their legs (as it can dislocate them) that the government had announced they are withdrawing. This isn’t a political post at all - I just think it worth being aware that this is the new government’s very first ‘animal welfare policy’ action: to remove existing protections for some animals, possibly just from a lack of resources(?) Here is the Guardian article about the withdrawal of this legislation: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/18/labour-to-legalise-harmful-practice-of-carrying-chickens-by-legs-say-charities
Now it may be that I am totally wrong and the change in the legislation doesn’t relate to the potential for Wildlife Rescue regulation at all. If the government do decide to bring in Wildlife Rescue regulation ASAP and can monitor it effectively and wildlife can be cherished in this way I will celebrate this, along with everyone else. However, it hasn’t happened yet and the last bit of feedback that I received - last month - from a Wildlife Professional working very closely with Defra was: ‘In England I’m not aware of anything currently that might result in direct regulation.’
What HAS happened - and what has been developed by some of the top Wildlife Vets in the UK and a lot of Rehabbers, from large and small Rescues, based on the most authoritative wildlife care standards - is self regulation…
And this morning I had a wonderful example of what this could look like and it made me so happy, as it really confirmed to me why myself and so many others worked so hard - and still do - to set up and maintain/grow the Wildlife Care Badge…
These are some pictures from Garforth Hedgehogs Rescue...
They referred to it this morning as their ‘wall of fame’. This is a small, home based Rescue. (Home based Rescues are often disregarded as ‘Back Yard Rehabbers’ as though their work doesn’t matter, and yet I’d like to share the steps that this small Rescue have taken to set themselves up professionally and now prove their standards with such transparency)…
Not only have the ‘Supervising Rehabbers’ at the Rescue taken the WCB Knowledge Assessment but so have, voluntarily, even though the WCB doesn’t ask for it, all of the ‘supervised’ volunteers.
This year is their third renewal and I have shared a picture of the glowing praise from the Vet they work with, who has visited them the last 3 years to do their WCB Premise check.
They submit their accountability throughout the year, proving record keeping & high welfare treatment plans and a good working relationship with their Vet, who enables them to provide high welfare care to the hedgehogs they take in.
They have done all of this voluntarily, as part of the WCB. They ARE the people enabling the WCB to develop a map that features proven Wildlife Rescues/Rehabbers who can confidently offer knowledgeable, high welfare rehabilitative care to wildlife casualties & orphans. This map is being created so that members of the public, Vet Professionals and even other Wildlife Rehabbers can know who they can confidently pass poorly/orphaned wildlife to, across the UK, for high welfare care.
The WCB is just getting started… We are very lucky to have highly experienced Wildlife Vet Surgeons, RVNs & Wildlife Rehabbers advising us.
There will be constant ways that we can improve and learn more and improve again. It’s all been such a learning curve already. But we ARE an opportunity to stand up for wildlife NOW, not waiting for a government force to do it for us (and perhaps not regulate it all as well as Rehabbers could regulate it themselves? Who knows better than Rehabbers, what support you need to keep doing your amazing work and how that should be administered)?
Even if you don’t like the WCB - or think it should have been set up by another organisation and they should be doing it or you’ve heard a lot of rumours and you’re unsure - it doesn’t stop you from maybe setting up your own self regulation effort? The WCB would happily pass you our RR&T Policy and you can take what you like from it and/or rip it apart and start fresh with your own version: as long as enabling the rights of wildlife to at least a proven, minimum level of care is the end result.
What are your thoughts?
Alana - Founder (but just one of many Co-Developers).