Ireland’s First Wildlife Hospital Opens in Covid Shut Down Pub Offered By Irish Family In Navan Co Meath

Youtube RTE News on First Wildlife Hospital in Ireland Link (Ireland's first wildlife hospital opens its doors)

First Wildlife Hospital in Ireland

Animal welfare charity, Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI), has set up Ireland’s first Wildlife Hospital, on Friday 19^th February 2021, behind the Tara Na Rí pub in Garlow Cross, Navan, County Meath. The pub which was a field and few stables was unfortunately closed down due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic and the family graciously offered it to the charity so something good could be done out of it. The hospital built as an emergency response, has dedicated service to help Irish wildlife that are sick, injured and orphaned.

Speaking to RTE, WRI Animal Manager Dan Donoher said, "We are going to cater for every native Irish wildlife species here. That could mean treating anything from a tiny mouse to a seal, a badger or a swan."

The charity’s helpline received 5,600 calls last year informing them of distressed or
injured animals. Some of the most common animal species that the hospital will treat are foxes, badgers, pigeons, gulls and buzzards while road traffic accidents are the most frequent cause of injury. Aoife McPartlin, the charity Education Officer said that during lockdown people had more of opportunities to be out and look around nature.

Ms McPartlin says, “We have rehabilitators all over the country and they’re licenced by
the National Parks and Wildlife Service. They would have been taking wildlife in throughout forever really, but they’re very small little organisations and they’re vet nurses, and qualified people that we would have trained on our courses. It got so, so busy, that this hospital had to be set up kind of in an emergency response to the number of wildlife that have been coming to people’s attention in the next year.”

As there is no Government funding at the moment, in order to meet the high costs of electricity, heating, food, beds, medicines, the charity is currently requesting donations on GoFundMe to cover the cost of running the hospital, which they say will be more than €100,000 per year.

Ms McPartlin adds, “The long term goal is to have a teaching hospital. What we do at the moment is we go out to UCD and the vet nurses or vets there can take a wildlife module within their degree courses. We actually teach that module to them. We would be hoping eventually to bring that here and teach it here and to have school tours and the like as well.”

About Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI)

Established in 2010, Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI) is an umbrella organisation
promoting wildlife rehabilitation & supporting the rehabilitators who work in this field in Ireland. Based in Duleek, Co Meath and registered in Dublin, Ireland, the WRI is the promoter of the new Wildlife Hospital and is a not-for-profit NGO that represents wildlife rehabilitators and the welfare and conservation of wildlife in Ireland. It promotes and encourages best practice and sets high ethical standards for the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife. it is an independent data collection point for records of wildlife casualties and helps unite Ireland with the International wildlife rehabilitation community and it offers wildlife educational events on a regular basis to all who are interested in Ireland’s wildlife heritage.

Kelly O’Sullivan in FM 104 Ireland All Buzz

Here is the link to the news reported by Kelly O’Sullivan in www.fm104.ie (Ireland's first animal wildlife hospital opening in a closed down pub) https://www.fm104.ie/news/buzz/irelands-first-animal-wildlife-hospital-opening-in-a-closed-down-pub/

Shauna Bowers in The Irish Times

Here is the link to the news reported by The Irish Times News Reporter Shauna Bowers in www.irishtimes.com (Charity opens Ireland’s first wildlife hospital in Co Meath- Facility set up as ‘emergency response’ amid thousands of calls over injured animals) https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/charity-opens-ireland-s-first-wildlife-hospital-in-co-meath-1.4489554

Philip Bromwell in RTE News

Here is the link to the news reported by RTE News Reporter Philip Bromwell in www.rte.ie (Patients arrive at Ireland's first wildlife hospital) https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0217/1197772-wildlife-hospital-opens/

Link to Wildlife Hospital Ireland website http://wildlifehospital.ie/

You can read more about Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI) and Wildlife First Aid information in the link  http://irishwildlifematters.ie/

Link to Wildlife Crime Ireland website https://wildlifecrime.ie/

Recognising, Recording & Reporting a wildlife crime or suspicious incident   

Link to Reporting a Wildlife Crime  http://wri.ie/wp-content/uploads/WildlifeCrimeLeaflet.pdf

As per the link, any suspected breaches of the Wildlife Act should be reported immediately to the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). Your NPWS Conservation Ranger will be in a position to assess whether your suspicion warrants further investigation.

Tel: (01) 888 3242 Lo Call: 1890 383 000 Website: www.npws.ie

Email: nature.conservation@ahg.gov.ie

If there is a LIVE injured animal at the scene, also call a vet and/or wildlife rehabilitator. Contact details on Irish Wildlife Matters website www.irishwildlifematters.ie or Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine

Ask for your local District Veterinary Office who can give you a number for your closest vet.

Tel: (01) 6072000 Lo Call: 1890 200 510 or Ireland’s Directory Enquiries Tel:11890

Youtube AFP News Agency on First Wildlife Hospital in Ireland Link (Virus-shut pub becomes Ireland's first wildlife hospital)

Youtube CGTN Europe News on First Wildlife Hospital in Ireland Link (Locked-down pub becomes Ireland's first wildlife hospital)

 

Youtube Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland News on First Wildlife Hospital in Ireland Link (WRI Wildlife Hospital)

Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital

The busiest Wildlife Hospital in the world today is Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
situated in the picturesque village of Haddenham, Buckinghamshire. The hospital was founded in 1978 by Les and Sue Stocker and their son Colin and named after the Beatrix Potter children’s book character. The hospital is open 24 hours a day and deals with over 70,000 animal enquiries each year, offering help and advice to veterinary units, rehabilitators and the general public worldwide.

The link to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital is https://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/

Youtube Great Big Story News on Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital Link (Inside Europe’s Busiest (and Cutest) Wildlife Hospital)