Help keep our wildlife safe and warm plea

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for building materials and items for the upkeep of animal enclosures and aviaries at its National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity cares for an average of 10,000 wild animals each year so the wildlife hospital is in constant use by creatures of all kinds including badgers, deer, seals and all types of birds. The team will undertake the work themselves but need the help of the public to source the supplies.

Centre manager Anna Keen said: “We are planning on building sleep boxes for animals including otters, foxes, badgers and pine martens. We also need screening for inside paddocks. We are doing this to replicate their natural environments in the wild.

“We are in need of these items and also supplies to put them in place like hanging screws and perches.

“We also need all types of wood and plywood, animal safe paint for inside and outside aviaries, tools of any kind, fencing, mesh chicken wire and lots more. We are always in need of storage so if anyone has an old shed they no longer need, we would happily accept.

“These items are a bit beyond what we normally ask for so we are hoping that there might be people in Clackmannanshire who might be able to donate extra building materials or a local company might be able to help us.

“Even though these donations are not directly for the animals the benefit they have will be so beneficial. The upkeep of the enclosures and creating new sleeping boxes and spaces will allow us to provide the best possible care and give them the best chance of surviving when released back in to the wild.

“We have also entered our busy period for baby animal admissions so are in need of milk and other items to help provide the best possible care for our youngsters. We have six fox cubs of varying sizes and ages just now. Items can be donated via our Amazon wishlist.”

Items can be dropped in to the Scottish SPCA National Wildlife Rescue Centre, Fishcross, Alloa, FK10 3AN if members of the public live within the local authority area. A full list of building items required can be found at: https://www.scottishspca.org/ building-items-appeal-for-our-nationalwildlife-rescue-centre and the centre’s Amazon wishlist is at: https://www.amazon. co.uk/registry/wishlist/F1JIQ67WYHNA