Katie’s Wildlife Rescue is giving every animal a second chance – and wants to grow
A North Hampshire woman is on a mission to save all creatures great and small.
Katie Walton grew up surrounded by animals. And now they have become her life.
The 28-year-old has run an animal sanctuary for more than two years with her husband Joe from their home in Headley, giving animals which have been injured, lost or discarded a second chance.
“I don’t know if I can count how many we’ve got,” Katie told me. “I’ve got a dedicated side in my kitchen solely for baby animals.”
From songbirds to pigeons, owls, seagulls and an adult male fox, she has the quite the selection. Oh, and a buzzard.
Harriet the hedgehog was saved by a dog walker as she was about to get squashed on a main road in Newbury.
It’s likely her mother had been killed, hence why she was out in search of food.
And Sake – as in ‘Fox Sake’ – was found struggling under the hot sun in Reading last weekend.
He is still a bit dehydrated and underweight but had a vet appointment yesterday (Friday) to monitor his recovery.
Reflecting on some of the most unusual animals to land in her care, Katie, who studied animal management at Sparsholt College in Winchester, said: “When I was younger, we had a lamb on the doorstep in my room.
“I’ve also reared kittens from a barn roof before.
“My first ever intake when we started was a baby tawny owl. We called her Bubbles. And she is still around now. You can hear her at nighttime.”
She went on: “I was brought up with wildlife rescue. My mum used to do it when I was little.
“And my dad did the birds of prey side. So, I learned from him as well.”
Katie said even police and vets contact her with animals in need all over West Berkshire and North Hampshire. She once received 19 requests for help over four days.
She added: “I’ve got a lovely friend who’s an exotic vet surgeon. She’s helped me with quite a few wing injuries.
“She’s managed to pin them back together, and the birds can then be released into the wild.
“I would love to grow [the sanctuary], but I’ve got to think of money and space and people, because it’s only me and sometimes my husband when he wants to help.”
Katie always welcomes donations to buy items such as food and medical supplies.
Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/katies-wildlife-rescue to support her work.
And contact her on https://www.facebook.com/Katies.Wildlife.Rescue if you find an animal in need.