A new hedgehog hero has stepped in to provide a sanctuary in Dundee.
Dawn Airlie has opened the Ballumbie Hedgehog Rescue Centre to fill the gap left by the Wormit facility which closed in 2021.
The 49-year-old has already rescued, cared for and set free a dozen hedgehogs and is planning to build her charity as much as she can.
Dawn worked with Sandy Boyd, who ran Wormit Hedgehog Centre until he retired due to ill health.
She got to know Sandy after taking hedgehogs to him.
When Sandy retired, a woman took a tiny hoglet (baby hedgehog) to Sandy, who referred her to Dawn.
Dawn said: “This was in the spring of 2022.
“Grace was the first rescue when Sandy had given the woman my name.
“She was on her own in a garden in Ballumbie with no sign of mum and was brought to me.
“She was the youngest and smallest hoglet I’ve taken in at only 70g.
“She was released back to the wild at the start of September.
“I sort of fell into this but I plan to try to keep going and build on what I’ve already started.”
Since then Dawn has taken in hedgehogs and hoglets from all over Tayside and Fife.
She said: “I have now done a hedgehog first aid course and will continue to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, and orphaned hedgehogs.
“After Sandy retired there wasn’t a local rescue centre – the closest one being in Rosyth. There’s definitely need in our area.
Fundraising for Ballumbie Hedgehog Rescue Centre
Dawn is now helped by several volunteers and has teamed up Parkside Vets.
She still asks Sandy for advice and has joined a national network working to help establish new rescue centres.
Dawn has now launched a fundraiser to raise £1,600 to buy new enclosures for hedgehogs at the centre, which she runs from the garage and garden at her home in Ballumbie.
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