'Rescuing hedgehog changed my life for the better'

A woman who set up a hedgehog rescue centre with her family says it has "changed her life for the better".

Savannah Hawkins, 22, has been running Hedwig's Hotel Hedgehog Rescue with her mum and dad in their back garden for more than five years.

Ms Hawkins, from Bideford, in north Devon, said she struggled at school, but the rescue centre had given her skills and inspired her to study veterinary science at university.

She said her life changed when she was at college and she rescued a hedgehog she later named Hedwig.

"When I was younger I had a lot of issues with my mental health and staying in school," she said.

"I was studying at college at a night class... it's a regular time for a hedgehog to be wandering around.

"There was just a hedgehog in the grass and he looked small and not ready for winter."

She said: "We bundled him up and I brought him home on the bus with me, and the intention was to find a rescue centre the next day.

"But, all of the spaces seemed to be full so we took him on ourselves and at that point we were committed to looking after him during the winter and releasing him in the spring."

Ms Hawkins said "it snowballed" after a nearby hedgehog rescue in Ilfracombe closed its doors.

"We've been hammered ever since, it's been crazy from that point," Carl Hawkins, Savannah's dad added.

The family had housed the animals in a caravan but have since set up a shed which can hold up to 45 hedgehogs.

The rescue centre is currently at full capacity.

The family said Hedwig - the first rescued hedgehog - was later released back into the wild.

"We rely on volunteers, and they're fantastic... we've got plenty that come in, they're all brilliant," Mr Hawkins said.

The family said financial donations went towards specialised food and electricity, which powered the microwaves, washing and drying facilities.

Mr Hawkins said: "What keeps us going with this is simply that we're always surprised there is such a need.

"The hedgehog is just an iconic animal in the UK.

"They are near-threatened so it won't be long, we feel, before it's on the endangered list. We just want to try and protect them."

Ms Hawkins said co-owning the rescue had given her more confidence.

"When I was in school, when I was younger I wouldn't talk to people, wouldn't leave the house, wouldn't answer the phone.

"But doing this you've got no choice but to pick up the phone so I was able to get myself out there in a more personal way.

"I gave a presentation over the summer with 100 people in the room, whereas before I would have to be excused as I couldn't cope with it."

Mr Hawkins said: "There are a lot of times when it's sad, they come in and have a hard time, it's very depressing sometimes when you get a spate of hedgehogs that are too weak and don't make it.

"But when you get baby hedgehogs a day old and you feed them up, get them big, get them healthy, release them, that's why we do it."

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