“I’m going to work here when I’m older!” Young Vets Activity Day

The highlight of our summer so far has been a drizzly August day when 16 Young Vets Club members visited Secret World Wildlife Rescue for their Young Vets Activity Day. It didn’t matter that it was wet – the Young Vets brought their own sunshine!

Secret World Wildlife Rescue is a special place that rescues and helps orphaned and injured British wildlife. Every year, they rescue around 5,000 animals and advise the public on over 12,000 calls! Some of the animals they care for include otters, badgers, foxes, deer, and birds of prey.

When we arrived, we had to step on a special disinfectant pad and use hand sanitizer. This is very important to keep both us and the animals safe by preventing the spread of germs. It’s essential thathuman contact with the animals is kept to a minimum so that they stay wary of people, which is better for them when they return to the wild.

After everyone had met, we played a game to learn about WVS’s international animal aid work. We looked at the map below which shows the amazing reach of the animal welfare work that the Young Vets are a part of – look how far their kindness reaches!

Then, it was over to Secret World to teach us all about their animal rescue and rehabilitation work! The founder of this incredible place, Pauline, talked us through the equipment they used so we could practice rescuing animals safely and quickly. Before it was over to the Young Vets to try, we watched some dramatic examples! These included deer with their antlers caught in a plastic fence, a fox with an injured foot and a badger who was stuck on a bridge over the busy M5 motorway. It made us even more grateful that rescue centres like Secret World exist for our precious wildlife.

Then it was our turn to try! The Young Vets had a go with rescue tools including graspers, cages, swan wraps and special carrying boxes. We successfully rescued all the animals and learnt that the main thing is to stay calm and act quickly, which took practice!

After a short break, we rolled up our sleeves to build bird boxes to help increase the number of wild birds in the area. With screwdrivers, screws, and a lot of elbow grease, we created cozy new homes that will hang in trees around Secret World. It felt great to know we were helping local wildlife have a safe place to live.

Our next mission was to gather dinner for the herbivore rescues. Wearing gloves and using identification guides, we ventured out to collect tasty treats like rosehips, hawthorn, blackthorn, clover, nettles, and fresh grass. The animals had a delicious feast thanks to the Young Vets!

For our final task, we built enrichment toys for the corvids (that's birds like crows and ravens) at the centre. We crafted designs using cardboard and paper, hiding food inside for the birds to find. This kind of activity helps keep the animals happy and encourages natural behaviours like foraging. If you have pets at home, we recommend you do similar activities to give them plenty of enrichment!

As the day wrapped up, the sun peeked out and we spent some time chatting with an African grey parrot and watching peacocks strut around the centre. When we asked the Young Vets what they thought about the day, they shared:

• "My favourite part was making the bird boxes and finding food for the animals!"
• "I learned how to rescue injured animals safely."
• "I loved it! It was the best time ever! When is the next one?"

Young Vets, stay tuned because more adventures are on the way! We can't wait for our next day together helping animals and learning new things.