Local wildlife to benefit from £16,000 JSPCA donation

Wednesday 12 September 2018

Rescuing wildlife means there are sometimes a lot of mouths to feed at the JSPCA - but the team has found a helping paw in the form of a donation of £16,000 to continue nursing the island’s furry and feathered friends back to health.

The donation was one of many funded by thousands of islanders who took part in the State Street Island Walk in June, helping raise a total of £88,360.

Abbeyfield, which provides independent and residential care to elderly people, will be using some of the money to make its property more suitable for its most frail residents while the Jersey Squadron will be using it to buy equipment. Rotary de la Manche will be donating the funds to a number of local charities throughout the year.

While there were only four charities receiving £16,000, many more have received donations between £1,000 and £3,000, including Bloodwise, Resilience Matters, Caring Cooks, The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Jersey, Wetwheels, Beresford Kitchen and Brighter Futures, the 10th St. Brelade Scout Group, Scouts, Ambulance Support Unit, St John Ambulance and Girl Guiding Jersey.

The team at JSPCA were delighted with the donation which will go towards its homing programme. They said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with organising the States Street Island Walk and we are extremely grateful to have been selected as one of this year’s charities. Thank you to all the supporters, their generosity and efforts on the day."

Pictured: In two months, the JSPCA looked after 150 baby fledglings.

Barbara Keywood, the JSPCA's PR & Media Manager, explained that staff have been looking after more and more wildlife over the past couple of years, with those animals requiring round the clock care. Over the past two months only, the team cared for and released over 150 baby fledglings. 

Ms Keywood told Express: "We are seeing a definite increase in the amount of wildlife needing our assistance 24 hours a day, therefore we wish to develop this area to ensure that the animals in our care are provided with the best possible treatment before being released.

"Our dedicated Clinic team care for the wildlife during the day and if there are very young then staff members will take them home and feed throughout the night, every few hours). As with the squirrels, a member of staff could be caring for this creature for five to six weeks or longer. Our staff start work early to ensure everyone is fed and provide the best possible care and give them the best chance for survival." 

Pictured: Young squirrels sometimes need care for up to six weeks.

In addition to the care given at the shelter, the JSPCA also provides a 24-hour ambulance service, with the “out of hours” ambulance driver working from 17:00 til 08:00. "They deal with a range of calls and during our busy season, they will be attending many calls about wildlife, and domestic pets, needing our help," Ms Keywood explained. "We have one driver on per shift therefore we do urge the public to keep trying if you are unable to reach us the first time as the driver may be assisting to another journey."

Since the Walk started in 1991, a total of £2,368,028 has been raised and donated to local charities with 25,643 walkers taking part. Organisers have already set the date for the 2019 Walk which will take place on 22 June, with departure being give at 03:00 from the Elizabeth Terminal.