Yorkshire Dales Wildlife Rescue

05/06/2026

Whilst this evenings post is absolutely heartbreaking, there is also a bucket load of positivity to take from the sadness.
A couple of years ago, we released a couple of hedgehogs who had come in as hogletts from different litters, who could not be returned to where they were originally found. Road Runner (female) and Andrew Ridgeway were released in Langcliffe. They were marked as hogletts to tell them apart as they were raised with other orphans and we need to identify them to monitor progress.
Road Runner was found this evening, still warm, but dead after having been hit by a vehicle. A huge adult male hedgehog on a 40mph road through a village with plenty of lighting.
The positive bits, the fact that this chunk of a hog has lived for 2 years after release, and was in incredible condition, shows that what we do works. He has gone through 2 winters, and most likely 2 hibernations. He was HUGE! He has managed perfectly well after release, with all his natural snuffling and foraging instincts kicking in. We like to think that he has been responsible for many hogletts and that his spirit and gorgeous genetics will grace Langcliffe in many offspring. We are relieved that it was Andrew, as a female at this time of the year will either be pregnant or nursing young.
Sleep well you incredible Pop Star, you made the people whose gardens you visited very happy, and we can see that you thrived in life beyond rescue. You confirmed what we already knew, and rescue and release works.
We will look after any offspring who need a little help, and we will be comforted that you thrived and obviously enjoyed your food. So sorry that your life has been cut short. Please say Hi to your band mate up there over the bridge, please make some awesome tunes up there 😥🤗💔♥️🦔

04/06/2026

We need your sheets! We don't normally take bedding, but we have a need for flat sheets and duvet covers if anyone has any they are getting rid of. No duvets or pillows, or bedspreads, just plain flat sheets that we can put under the pooping owls whilst they are still inside and pooping lots!
Picture of our gorgeous Tanya today, smiling through the rain whilst cleaning and feeding the outside animals (mainly ducks). We love you Taz, thank you for your infectious smile 🤗♥️

03/06/2026

Our great friend and supporter Rob Stavely of RJS Man and Van has not only rallied a team of fine gents from Andys Man Club to help us with some inside work, Rob and his staff then drove backwards and forwards to Kendal, transporting the sections of two huge brand new aviaries donated to us from . We are absolutely thrilled and can't thank everyone enough 🙏♥️

01/06/2026

This little one was spotted by the husband of one of our volunteers, who alerted his wife about this one's predicament! Erica headed over with a net and was able to capture it and return it to the correct parents! Line cygnets are unlikely to survive either alone or with the wrong parents, also if they are not reunited quickly enough, the parents can reject them leaving them alone again 😥. Bob regularly cycles this section of the canal and both he and Erica have got to know all the swans, and who should be with who, and where, and with which parents! They knew what they had to do, and did it! A quick rescue and reunite and job done. Best kind of rescue, and everyone happy. Nice job Mr and Mrs Nash ❤️❤️🦢.

29/05/2026

TRANSPORT!

Fact 1- a very large percentage of folks who call rescues don't drive, don't know anyone with a car, can't get help with transport, and think that we have an endless supply of volunteers who can go out at the drop of a hat.

Fact 2, the absolute truth! We are in the busiest time of year, with many patients requiring feeds throughout the day and night. All of our caring roles are voluntary and are undertaken between paid jobs, family and pet commitments.
We have to prioritise who we are able to help with transport as we don't have an infinite pot of volunteers in any capacity.
Firstly, some of our volunteers have extra skills to be able to go out and help wildlife either trapped or in distress, and those creatures require specialist rescue techniques. Many of these rescues require more than one team member (eg. deer, waterfowl on water, large mammals like badgers and foxes). We do have a canoe, but we don't have a 60ft ladder, or the ability to carry one 😉!
Secondly, we prioritise vet practices. We take in and rehabilitate wildlife from vet practices from North and West Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire. We take in wildlife from amazing vets most days and many do what they can to help with transport, and most of this is done by their staff out of hours and in their own time, meeting our volunteers on their way home ♥️.
This leaves us with not a lot of capacity to help with the hundreds of calls every day from folks, most of whom can't drive.

Fact 3 - Literally, if we had a quid for every caller who can't drive, we could pay for a wildlife ambulance and a 24/7 driver, even fuel!

Fact 4 - We will absolutely help where we can, and we often know that someone who lives close who may be travelling through to us and can help, but if we can't, it is because we genuinely can't. Being rude or abusive will definitely not help. Telling us that we are responsible for an animal dying in pain, will not help our capacity to get out when we can't! We want to help everything and we put our lives into our work, and our limits have been exceeded more than you will ever understand. Our transport volunteers (all our volunteers) pay for their own fuel and do this in their own time, because we have to save every single penny we have to secure our future by saving up to buy a property and secure the future of YDWR.
When callers are rude and abusive, because we can't pick up a cat attacked nestling from Holmfirth (one of many calls) we do get upset. Whilst we are super humans, we aren't superhuman, we are tired, emotional and broke 😂😵‍💫🤯😖😥🫩.
Please understand, please help wherever possible, and please be kind. We are doing something that others don't, out of love, care and compassion for our incredible wildlife that suffers so much.

Fact 5 - we get sad, we hurt , we see some horrific things, we care for each other, we push every limit we have. For many of us, it is a calling - why else would we?

Sermon over, someone needs food.......♥️🙏

29/05/2026

HELP! It's our busiest time of the year and we urgently need volunteers for evening shifts and also transport volunteers. On our evening shift (5pm onwards) you can either help support the running of the rescue by helping with housekeeping, or learn to care for our wonderful wildlife patients. Our transport volunteers are on hand if any sick animal needs transporting from A to B quickly. We need transport volunteers spread as widely across the Yorkshire Dales and beyond as possible. If you are interested in finding out more, please email [email protected]
Thank you.

28/05/2026

Small red lab or similar running in and out of traffic on little chef roundabout. Police called. Very frightened

28/05/2026

We are delighted to welcome Iain Pelling to our Board of Trustees.
It was obvious when we met Iain that he has deep respect for the talents and ambitions of others, particularly those who are contributing to positive change in the world around them. His experience in strategic planning, governance and entrepreneurship will help us create an even firmer organisational foundation for our work. With uncertainty around our tenure at our current premises, Iain is just the person to help guide us and we are thrilled to have him as part of the team. For more information, click below.

We are delighted to welcome Iain Pelling to our Board of Trustees. A prior leader and board level executive of enterprises large and small, a business growth consultant and a qualified Chartered Accountant, Iain brings a huge amount of experience to the role.“It was obvious when we met Iain that h...

27/05/2026

Our first badger cub Ian, came into us in February at under 400g. We searched other rescues for others to rear him with, as they do much better with others. A few weeks on, and our great friend and mentor, Jean Thorpe took in Treasure, so we came up with a plan. We took Ian up to Malton, and Jean was in her element, no sleep, but a permanent huge smile and two gorgeous cubs entertaining her ♥️. The ongoing plan was for us to collect Ian and Treasure when they were weaned, and take them to RSPCA Stapley Grange, where they could join others to form a new clan. As the weeks went on, Jean took in another 4 cubs and we took in Brian the Lion.
On the first of May, we took the badger bus on tour! We collected Jeans 6 from Malton, collected Brian, and then headed south for Nantwich. All 7 cubs delivered, and an amazing day out. What a huge privilege to work with such incredible partners in the wildlife rescue world to achieve the very best outcome and future for wildlife. Rob from Stapley has been sending us footage of the cubs preparing for the next bits before freedom, as a gang of wriggling, playful mint humbugs 🦡♥️

25/05/2026

Not all release footage is equal! You get the idea 😖. This stunner of a sparrowhawk was released in Casterton where initially found, but in the opposite direction from the large window she had flown into, knocking herself unconscious.
Huge thanks to our transport volunteers Paul and Theresa Adams, for going out for this one - this was a catch and collect, not just the collect! Next level heroics - amazing 🙏🤗♥️.