Steve Smith

Anything you can find in the wild in the UK, we treat here at the hospital.

Anything you can find in the wild in the UK, we treat here at the hospital.

Yeah, Miss T. Winkle was one of the Beatrix Potter characters, so a very, very famous hedgehog. And the hospital started off looking after sick and injured wild hedgehogs, so I think that's where we got the name from way back around 45 years ago.

Yeah, Miss T. Winkle was one of the Beatrix Potter characters, so a very, very famous hedgehog. And the hospital started off looking after sick and injured wild hedgehogs, so I think that's where we got the name from way back around 45 years ago.

Well, we certainly see lots of hedgehogs. How many have you counted before Louise?

Well, we certainly see lots of hedgehogs. How many have you counted before Louise?

They're much-loved wild animals in the UK.

They're much-loved wild animals in the UK.

He had a badly broken forearm. So luckily, I have a small plating kit where he was able to use this absolutely tiny equipment, these microsurgical tools, to be able to put this toad back together again. And, you know, this toad then happily was implanted in his forelimb.

He had a badly broken forearm. So luckily, I have a small plating kit where he was able to use this absolutely tiny equipment, these microsurgical tools, to be able to put this toad back together again. And, you know, this toad then happily was implanted in his forelimb.

And they found it by the roadside, and they sort of didn't know what it was, so they're wondering whether they should pick it up. He didn't look particularly well. He was sort of stranded by the roadside, not flying away. And so we had the call, and it sort of came down to the clinical team, to the veterinary team, and saying there's an exotic orange bird. And

And they found it by the roadside, and they sort of didn't know what it was, so they're wondering whether they should pick it up. He didn't look particularly well. He was sort of stranded by the roadside, not flying away. And so we had the call, and it sort of came down to the clinical team, to the veterinary team, and saying there's an exotic orange bird. And

To my knowledge, there's certainly no exotic wild orange birds in the UK and even escaped pet birds. Orange is not a very common color for a bird. So it sort of made us scratch our heads a little bit, but we were kind of like, no problem. If you can catch the bird, fine, then bring it along and we'll have a look.

To my knowledge, there's certainly no exotic wild orange birds in the UK and even escaped pet birds. Orange is not a very common color for a bird. So it sort of made us scratch our heads a little bit, but we were kind of like, no problem. If you can catch the bird, fine, then bring it along and we'll have a look.

We had no idea from the phone call for sure. So it was quite exciting. It was quite a stir while we were waiting for it to arrive at the hospital. So, no, we were all sort of taking bets and discussing what it could be.

We had no idea from the phone call for sure. So it was quite exciting. It was quite a stir while we were waiting for it to arrive at the hospital. So, no, we were all sort of taking bets and discussing what it could be.

They caught the bird up in their jacket, put it in their car, in their car boot, and then drove it straight to the hospital.

They caught the bird up in their jacket, put it in their car, in their car boot, and then drove it straight to the hospital.

The triage nurse, we have a nursing team that were on triage, they went down to the reception and grabbed the coat, brought it down to the triage room. And so when we opened up, this bird flapped out, perfectly fine and bright. And indeed, it was a really large orange bird. But very quickly, we realized, actually, this is a herring gull.

The triage nurse, we have a nursing team that were on triage, they went down to the reception and grabbed the coat, brought it down to the triage room. And so when we opened up, this bird flapped out, perfectly fine and bright. And indeed, it was a really large orange bird. But very quickly, we realized, actually, this is a herring gull.