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We are thrilled to announce that we are changing our name to Yorkshire Dales Wildlife Rescue .  As the only wildlife rescue of its kind across many hundreds of square miles, we have rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the wild thousands of sick, injured and orphaned wild animals since we were established in 2019.  Most of our patients are endangered species or those facing conservation challenges e.g. red- or amber-listed mammals and birds of conservation concern (BoCC) an

We were delighted to welcome Sir Julian Smith MP and Councillor David Staveley, Councillor for Settle and Pen-y-ghent, to the Rescue recently. They were both very supportive of what we do for nature and praised our efforts in securing permanent premises for our vital work. Penny Hunt (Rescue Co-Founder) shows Sir Julian Smith our hedgehog rehabilitation room They were fascinated to hear that, since our formation in 2019, our volunteer-run organisation has rescued, cared for

Do you know that we have over 60 volunteers, taking part in a variety of different roles from hands-on animal care, transport, DIY, fundraising and many other things? People come from all backgrounds and all parts of the Yorkshire Dales, the Forest of Bowland, Cumbria and wider North and West Yorkshire and either work at the Rescue, or remotely, making a huge differenc e to what we can achieve every day.   Fancy joining our amazing team? We currently have vacancies for: Volu

We are exceptionally proud that our animal release rate, at 74%, is way above the UK national average of 42.6%. We've put a lot of hard work and care into making this happen and we want it to stay that way. So that's why planning for Spring is so very important. It's the time when we see our biggest surge in admissions - orphaned babies of all species and all ages. They are at their most vulnerable when they come to us and need very special care. So that's why, this year

Craven Wildlife Rescue is funded entirely by kind donations - whether it's from our individual donors or from a range of grant-givers who support our work. We welcome and truly appreciate all types of support - whether you want to give us the kind of items we need everyday to keep the Rescue running, or would prefer to donate some money instead. Below is a list of the items that we need, or you can also click here  to make a financial donation. We thank you so much for any su

Last year, we experienced a steep rise in the number of injured and sick wild animals that came into our care.  In 2025, Craven Wildlife Rescue took in over 750 animals and birds - nearly double the amount of the previous year.   Despite initially just serving Craven, our work covers well over 500 square miles of countryside from our base in Horton in Ribblesdale.  Not only do we serve the North Yorkshire area of Craven, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bow

We're delighted to announce that Meg Gledhill and Fia Rutherford have become Trustees. "With their expertise in ecology and vetinerary care, Meg and Fia will be a fantastic addition to our senior team," says Penny Hunt, Co-Founder. "They are both totally committed to our cause and we are very excited to have them on board." Meg Gledhill is a professional ecologist with nearly ten years of experience working on projects for the private and public sector. She holds a degree i

Merry Christmas everyone - and a big thank you to everyone who has supported us, in any way, this year.    Penny and Jane “2025 has been an amazing year for us,” says Penny Hunt, Co-Founder. “We are doing our annual count of all the animals we have cared for this year.  We haven’t got the final number yet, but we know it far exceeds the number of animals we looked after in 2024. For us, it’s not just about saving the life of each individual animal, but giving that animal the

We've had a fabulous early Christmas present for us and the animals, thanks to support from The Craven Trust  - a new, commercial washing machine! Housekeeping may not be at the ‘sexy’ end of what we do, but without it, the quality of our care would be seriously affected and, over time, we would slowly grind to a halt operationally. Our 'animal use' washing machine is one of the most important pieces of kit - it's doing its job every single day, washing bedding, dirty towels

In our news-in-brief section this ti me, we take our hat off to David (who’s taking on an enormous challenge to raise money for us); and send a massive thanks for donations of food and PPE we have received. When our good friend David Padmore , from Gargrave in North Yorkshire, contacted us to say he wanted to raise money for us, we never expected that he would be tackling "Britain's most brutal race". The Montane Winter Spine starts on 11 January 2026 and David is hoping to f

Some of you may know that the building we currently rent is likely to be put up for sale. This is on our minds every day and the Trustees are working hard, behind the scenes, to look at different options and what it means for our next phase of development. As soon as we know our plans, we will share them. We definitely need your help. We are hoping to have news of the timeline soon. It's an unsettling time for all of us. This important news has not only helped us reflect

Caring for hedgehogs that are pregnant is extremely challenging. It isn't unusual for us to admit a pregnant female, but it is fraught with worry. Even the kindest captivity for a wild animal is stressful and, even in the wild, a stressed hedgehog can abandon or kill their young. So when Fiona was rescued in Burton in Lonsdale, we knew we had to take extra special care of her. Hedgehog mothers are dedicated and protective. They nurse their young for several weeks and must

Christmas is a tricky time for our volunteers, as they juggle family celebrations and caring for animals. Meet Joy, one of the team working at the Rescue on Christmas Day. Tell us a bit about yourself I’m a semi-retired pensioner. I started my working life in the NHS as a Health Promotion Officer, then staff trainer in the mental health sector and brief spell with social services as a trainer in the alcohol and drug services. I then trained as a counsellor, which kept me bus

We are delighted to announce that Vanessa Ford has joined us as a Trustee. With a career spanning over two decades in project management across life sciences and healthcare and lots experience already of rescuing animals, she's a perfect addition to our team! "Beyond my professional life, I have a keen interest in wildlife, particularly rescuing swans in need, which is how I spend a large portion of my free time!" says Vanessa. "I've had many interactions with Craven Wildli

We are thrilled to announce that Fia Rutherford, B VM&S MRCVS, has joined us as our in-house volunteer vet. "This is a major step forward for any rescue," says Jane Carpenter, Rescue Co-Founder, "and we are thrilled to be able to do this so early on in our development. To have Fia working alongside us will enable us to continue to offer the best possible care for the animals. Animals can find transportation hugely stressful, so having Fia on site will also enable us to mas

Bonfire season is now in full flow. Whatever you do, remember hedgehogs and other wild creatures and take precautions as you plan your celebrations. As well as the little film below from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society , here are some tips on other things you can do to support hogs at what is a difficult time of year for them. To prepare for bonfire night 1) MOVE the materials to clear ground on the day they’re to be lit 2) CHECK the pile carefully just before str

In our news-in-brief section this time, we are celebrating our links with our local vets and it's the last call for Trustee applications. We love working with our local vets and most of our work is with Ashland Vets , Kingsway Veterinary Group and Dalehead Veterinary Group. We want to say a big thank you to them for their support and invaluable expertise. They not only help us with our patients, they also send new patients our way when wildlife is taken to them and it ne

We are extremely privileged to care for badgers in their hour of need. As the UK's largest land predators, they have big personalities and big appetites and take a lot of looking after. Here are two stories from recent months - both remarkable tales of survival against the odds. Earlier in the summer, Craven Badger Group called us late at night. They had been told that a badger was lying injured in the road near Harrogate. Two of their team were still up, so headed over de

Meet Carole, the subject of our next Volunteer interview. Tell us a bit about yourself I’m from West Yorkshire. I left school at 15, which was the norm then, and went straight to work in the local mills. My Mum worked there and half my neighbourhood. It was a great community, I loved the friendships and support for one another - a bit like being a volunteer at Craven Wildlife Rescue. The team spirit is strong. I have had a variety of jobs from cake decorating, to stringing Sl

Craven Wildlife Rescue is funded entirely by kind donations - whether it's from our individual donors or from a range of grant-givers who support our work. We welcome and truly appreciate all types of support - whether you want to give us the kind of items we need everyday to keep the Rescue running, or would prefer to donate some money instead. Below is a list of the items that we need, or you can also click here  to make a financial donation. We thank you so much for any su