Local hedgehog rescue say their service is desperately needed
Deanshanger Hedgehog Rescue are crowdfunding £50,000 for a new rescue unit, as they current run out of Rachel and Dominic Matthews back garden.
Last updated 9th May 2025
A hedgehog rescue on the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border says demand for their services means they need a bigger space.
Currently Deanshanger Hedgehog Rescue is run from Rachel and Dominic Matthews back garden, having been set up in 2021.
Demand to take in native injured hedgehogs, which are classified as “Vulnerable to Extinction” on the Mammals Society Red List, has outstripped their space, despite moving into space at a stable as well.
They're now crowdfunding for £50,000 to help build a new rescue unit.
This week marks National Hedgehog Week, and Rachel tells us how they realised there was a need four years ago:
"We has found a few hedgehogs over the years and there wasn't anyone local we could take them too, our nearest was about 50 minutes drive."
They look after 250 creatures a year and Rachel says desperately need to increase in size, and we'd love to have some outside pens as well, but their ICU and Rehab area's are the main things that need more space.
"Every year we have to turn hedgehogs away, sometimes they come extremely poorly, so we want to get to the point where we never have to turn a hedgehog away."
The pair work full time and are run by volunteers.
Rachel says she and Dominic have always been a fan of the prickly creatures.
"From a tiny tot I've always been an animal lover, both Dominic and I did Animal Science at University, that's how we met. So we are definitely both animal lovers."