A hedgehog hospital near Wareham is celebrating a remarkable first year after rescuing and rehabilitating almost 1,000 sick, injured and orphaned animals.
The Dorset Hedgehog Hospital, based around 10 miles from Wareham at Ashley Barn, Briantspuddle in Dorset, has treated 984 hedgehogs since opening its doors, with around 80 per cent successfully released back into the wild.
One of the baby hedgehogs currently in the care of staff at Ashley Barn
A hotspot for hedgehogs
A large proportion of rescued animals have come from Wareham and Sandford, a hotspot for hedgehogs, and staff are now expecting rescue numbers to soar past the 1,000 rescue milestone during their second year, following major expansion work at the centre.
The rescue facility now includes 106 treatment pods, 16 intensive care units, six maternity suites and 12 outdoor recovery units designed to help hedgehogs regain their natural instincts before release.
Now the organisation is preparing for its first annual summer fete on Saturday 1st August 2026, featuring artisan stalls, wildlife activities and guided hedgehog tours.
And if the official opening day of the hospital is anything to go by – when nearly 1,200 people attended, raising more than £7,000 for the charity – a busy day is in store.
The hedgehog hospital will be holding a summer fete on Saturday 1st August 2026
Six maternity units with more space
Fundraising manager and trustee Elaine Willcox said:
“We spent the past year focussing on the hospital facilities – we introduced more individual ICU units because last year we had so many hogs needing critical care that we ran out.
“We set up a Go Fund Me page which helped us to buy six maternity units, with more space so that we can keep mums and babies together as long as they need.
“And we have set up rewilding pens in safe conditions outside, so that juveniles or adults recovering from injuries can adjust to outdoor sounds and conditions without being handled constantly, helping them recover in a more natural environment.
“Now we are turning our attention to the continued future success of the hospital and how we can make sure that we go from success to success.”
The number of treatment pods for hedgehogs has now passed 100 – and they are often all full
“Staff and volunteers our biggest asset”
Elaine added:
“Our staff and volunteers are our biggest asset, the skills and dedication of our hardworking people, regardless of their role, are the backbone and lifeblood of the rescue.
“Now we are taking on a weekend manager from mid June and also an apprentice from mid September, a young lady who has been volunteering for us every Saturday for the past nine months.
“She has shown true passion for what we do, and with our partners Lynwood, the Wareham vets, we are going to provide full training over the next 15 months, leading to future opportunities and perhaps the chance for us to take on a second apprentice.
“The next stage is to bring in more revenue, so we are looking to rent out our lovely loft office space for craft groups, school or scout groups, or workshops, and also to introduce a lot more items to our online shop, as well as to relaunch our hedgehog adoption pack.”
Hedgehog Morag was rescued after falling down a garden step and has captured the hearts of hospital staff
First annual summer fete
The first annual summer fete will be held at the start of August 20267 with 18 different artisan stalls from wood working and wood carving, to artists and a stained glass specialist, and there will be a limited number of tours with hedgehogs experts so that visitors can see the rescue hedgehogs.
The event will also promote wildlife friendly gardening as conservationists warn Britain’s native hedgehog population continues to decline sharply.
In recent years, the species has been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list as ‘vulnerable to extinction’.
Hedgehog hospital staff say public awareness remains vital, especially during spring and summer when nests are often disturbed by lawnmowers, strimmers and garden clearances.
Outside runs have been created in an area being rewilded, for recovering hogs to get used to the great outdoors
Surrogate human mums
Elaine Willcox said:
“We are also getting into baby season for sure, and a mother hedgehog in the first week to 10 days after giving birth, if she is spooked or disturbed, will abandon her babies.
“Pregnant mothers will also come in with wounds, many caused by dog attacks or garden strimmers, and because they are so stressed we know they would not be in the best place to care for their young, so there we can intervene and bring those babies on.
“We also have surrogate human mums who have fed dozens of baby hogs at their own homes – there is nothing wrong with the babies, but they need to be strong, healthy and heavy enough before we can release them back into the wild.
“We will always try our best to help a hog now that we have this awesome facility, but we already have had several times when the hospital has been full to capacity.
“We do rely on all our followers, supporters, donors, vets and suppliers, and cannot thank them enough for all their help!”
The hospital’s hedgehog rescue ambulance has already been busy in Wareham and Sandford, and also much further afield
Further information
- There’s more information on the website of Dorset Hedgehog Rescue
