Pioneering Hedgehog Hospital gets set to open this summer

Stephen Price

A new hedgehog hospital and rehabilitation centre with its very own dedicated vet is set to open in a soon-to-be-announced Welsh location this summer, after almost 40 years of lifesaving work to save one of the nation’s favourite animals.

Hedgehog Helpline was founded in 1988 by Kay and Keith, who had each been rescuing hedgehogs independently for several years.

For more than 40 years, their home-based rehabilitation network has successfully cared for thousands of sick, injured, and orphaned hedgehogs.

Building on this legacy, in 2025 their Trustees embarked on the most ambitious chapter in the charity’s history: creating a purpose-built wildlife rehabilitation centre designed to provide seamless care from admission through treatment, rehabilitation, and ultimately release back into the wild.

And now, that vision is set to become a reality, with a dedicated rehabilitation centre which will enable them to enhance animal welfare, support more hedgehogs than ever before, expand volunteer training, and continue leading hedgehog conservation in Wales for generations to come.

For the time being, the team behind the helpline have kept its exact location ‘just off the M4’ a secret while the premises is currently un-staffed, and to prevent anyone calling by with sick or injured hedgehogs – the helpline being the first port of call for anyone at the moment. More updates will follow on their Facebook page in the coming days.

Sharing the news on social media, the team wrote: “After 38 incredible years of operating a home-based rehabilitation model, founded by two incredible people, we are proud to announce we will be opening our new Hedgehog Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in a matter of weeks.

“Our model has always been unique as we have had for 37 years our Vet Volunteer leading our charity providing first class training and saving thousands of hedgehogs through his treatments.

“For nearly four decades, dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly from their own homes, providing care, treatment and rehabilitation to thousands of sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs. Their commitment has helped save countless lives and laid the foundations for everything we achieve today. We owe huge thanks to them, for opening up their private residences to work for us, all as volunteers.

“This new facility represents the next step in our journey and will become the only dedicated Hedgehog Hospital in South Wales and further with state-of-the-art equipment and vet. Meaning we can extend our work to protect this incredible mammal.

“By bringing our rehabilitation services together under one roof, we can provide enhanced welfare standards for the hedgehogs in our care, with purpose designed treatment areas, dedicated recovery spaces, hygiene controls and access to specialist equipment. Every aspect of the facility has been developed with the welfare of the hedgehog at its heart, from public reception, office, triage, x-ray/treatment, high dependency, low dependency, quarantine, hydrotherapy, hoglet, ante and post-natal room, outside space, hedgehog kitchen and laundry, volunteer rest area, to volunteer kitchen, storage and more.

“The capacity of the hospital will mean we are never full, meaning we can support more hedgehogs than ever before.

“We are continually adapting our practises following continued research into the species, and our centre is designed to provide the highest standard of welfare.”

“However, the benefits extend far beyond the animals themselves.

“Our volunteers will have access to a more supportive environment, allowing them to work together more closely, share knowledge and develop valuable wildlife rehabilitation skills.

“The centre will also create new opportunities for volunteering, education and community engagement.

“For members of the public, the hospital will provide a more accessible service, offering reassurance that sick and injured hedgehogs can receive professional care in a dedicated environment.

“Knowing the hedgehog will come into the hospital and remain there throughout its recovery is extremely comforting.

“Everything will be under one roof, from triage, x-rays, operations, treatment, rehabilitation and eventual release back to the wild.

“It will also allow us to expand our educational work, helping more people learn how to support and protect our much-loved hedgehogs as well as being a resource as a veterinary place of learning guided by our dedicated vet. We already support vets from across the UK and will offer a dedicated space where vets can learn side by side from a highly experienced hedgehog vet. This will further aid ongoing efforts to ensure the survival of this much-loved mammal.

“While our location may be changing, our values remain the same. The compassion, dedication and community spirit that have driven us for nearly 40 years will continue to guide everything we do.

“This is more than just a new building, it is an investment in the future of hedgehog conservation, volunteer development and wildlife welfare for generations to come right here in South Wales.”

“We have chosen the central location to ensure easy access for volunteers, finders, vets and visitors.

“Thank you to every volunteer, supporter, donor and member of the public who has helped make this vision a reality.

“Together, we are building a brighter future for hedgehogs.

“We will be holding an invitation- only opening ceremony but please watch this space for details of our planned open day, where members of the public will have the opportunity to see behind the scenes and hear about the outstanding work we have carried out for nearly four decades and gain insight into our future.

Decline

The news comes as hedgehogs face some of the toughest challenges to their survival.

A range of factors are affecting the native mammal’s prospects, from an impoverished landscape with a loss of habitat and invertebrates, poisoning by insecticides and injury from farming and garden machinery and road vehicles.

Rural hedgehogs have seen numbers fall by an estimated 30-75% since 2000, although the picture for urban animals is one of a population that has stabilised and may be recovering.

According to the RSPCA, animal rescue centres are “fit to bursting” with hedgehogs and foxes suffering from heatstroke during one of the hottest summers on record.

Some 316 hedgehogs were admitted to the RSPCA’s four wildlife centres in June, a 56% rise on the 202 admitted in the same month the previous year.

Amy Ockelford, a senior press officer at the RSPCA, told the Press Association that wildlife centres are operating at “maximum capacity” and are “fit to bursting”, and have seen an increase in admissions of hoglets and hedgehogs.

She said: “These animals are usually not out in the daytime, but they’re coming out because they’re struggling to find food and water, and ending up with heatstroke.”

The Hedgehog Hospital will provide a boost to Wales’ populations however, and the news of the new premises was welcomed online.

One commenter wrote: “This is fantastic! Well done to you all for setting it up. Hedgehog Helpline have saved all the hogs I have taken to them when there has been space. It’s so reassuring that there will be so much more scope to treat more hogs. They are so precious and you do amazing work to help them. Will be keeping an eye out for your open day date!”

Another added: “Such amazing news! ~ have used the Hedgehog Helpline a couple of times & have been so impressed by the hard work, care & commitment of the volunteers.. this is such a huge achievement, well done to all involved!”

Road traffic is also a major factor in the decline in numbers, with recent research showing that traffic can kill almost a third of hedgehogs – and could push smaller populations towards local extinction.

If you would like to support this new chapter for the Hedgehog Helpine, visit their online fundraiser here.

Find out more or enquire about volunteering here and follow their updates on Facebook.

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