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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.

Katie Walton is on a mission to give every animal a second chance
Katie Walton is on a mission to give every animal a second chance

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.”

Bertie the buzzard
Bertie the buzzard
Katie with Harriet the hedgehog, found on a busy road by a dog walker in Newbury
Katie with Harriet the hedgehog, found on a busy road by a dog walker in Newbury

From songbirds to pigeons, owls, seagulls and an adult male fox, she has the quite the selection. Oh, and a buzzard.

Harriet the hedgehog
Harriet the hedgehog

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.

Sake the fox, rescued from the boiling sun this past weekend
Sake the fox, rescued from the boiling sun this past 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.

Katie nursing Bagel the seagull chick back to life
Katie nursing Bagel the seagull chick back to life

“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.”

Peter the baby rabbit
Peter the baby rabbit

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.”

Bagel the seagull chick, saved from a busy road in Portsmouth
Bagel the seagull chick, saved from a busy road in Portsmouth

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.

Sprocket the house martin chick
Sprocket the house martin chick

“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.”

Bagel the seagull chick
Bagel the seagull chick

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.



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