Animal rescue centre 'inundated' with orphaned animals needing intensive care

A rescue shelter in Somerset has said it is so 'inundated' with orphaned wild animals that is now being forced to restrict who it cares for.

Secret World Wildlife Rescue is currently looking after 360 creatures, including badgers, foxes, tawny owls, hedgehogs as well as a range of garden birds and ducklings.

Staff have said the "unprecedented demand" means they are now only able to take in animals found within a 10-mile radius of their site in Highbridge.

Announcing the restriction, the centre wrote: "For the time being we have made the difficult decision to temporarily prioritise wildlife in our immediate catchment area (within a 10-mile radius of centre) where there are no other rescue centres.

"Secret Word relies heavily on volunteers and this catchment area is where we are best supported.

"We are not doing this because we don’t want to help but we must prioritise the wellbeing of the animals currently in our care."

The charity added that July is the centre's busiest month of the year and that many of those it has already taken in are orphans that require intensive one on one care.

"It is important that we prioritise the welfare of the animals already in our care and ensure we have the time and resources to best look after our current patients", a spokesperson for the shelter continued.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our extremely dedicated wildlife carers, receptionists and volunteers who are working incredibly hard under unprecedented demand."

The shelter added that people who find wildlife in need of help outside of the 10-mile catchment area can find other rescue centres online at directory.helpwildlife.co.uk

Anyone interested in volunteering at Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre and joining the 300 existing members is being urged to apply on the shelter's website.