Chorley and Preston Hedgehog Rescues
Donation protected
My name is Katherine Martinez and I volunteer at Chorley Hedgehog Rescue. Recently I answered a call very late at night regarding a hedgehog that had been attacked by a dog in Leyland. The lady was unable to drive so I offered to pick it up from her house and drive it to a rescue. This hog and suffered a prolonged and vicious attack and was in urgent need of attention. Chorley rescue was shut at this time of night and as I have a good working relationship with a lot of the rescues in the NW, I contacted Preston Hedgehog Rescue who were happy to take it. Dog saliva contains an enzyme that once it gets into the puncture wound, reacts quickly with the skin and starts literally rotting it.
With the hog in the back of my car, bleeding and screaming in pain I drove to the rescue. During this drive unfortunately I didn't keep an eye on my speed and got caught by a camera. I was doing 37 in a 30 area.
This happened at around midnight. I face a £100 fine and 3 points. I appealed, going into the detail of the injuries etc, I have proof of the messages regarding the attack, and photos but I have received a letter from Lancashire Police stating that although they have read my letter they uphold the fine and points.
My other option is to go to court, which I intend to do. I do not work as I have had to give up my full time job with the Civil Service to become a full time carer for my partner who is an Army Veteran who also can't work due to his chronic PTSD. I have no money and no credit card to pay this fee or the court costs but I want to stand my ground on this as I was trying to save the life of an endangered animal whose risk of extinction has just recently been increased.
I want to raise awareness of the plight of these poor animals and to raise awareness of the struggle that all of us as rescues are going through. We are not registered charities so we don't get any funding at all. We rely purely on donations from the public. All our fund raising that we rely on during the summer to keep us going has been cancelled during the virus and we are struggling to stay open financially due to the crippling costs involved.
I feel so, so angry and upset that the extenuating circumstances to my speeding are not being considered and I want to fight this while also raising support for the vital work that we all, as volunteers, do.
With the hog in the back of my car, bleeding and screaming in pain I drove to the rescue. During this drive unfortunately I didn't keep an eye on my speed and got caught by a camera. I was doing 37 in a 30 area.
This happened at around midnight. I face a £100 fine and 3 points. I appealed, going into the detail of the injuries etc, I have proof of the messages regarding the attack, and photos but I have received a letter from Lancashire Police stating that although they have read my letter they uphold the fine and points.
My other option is to go to court, which I intend to do. I do not work as I have had to give up my full time job with the Civil Service to become a full time carer for my partner who is an Army Veteran who also can't work due to his chronic PTSD. I have no money and no credit card to pay this fee or the court costs but I want to stand my ground on this as I was trying to save the life of an endangered animal whose risk of extinction has just recently been increased.
I want to raise awareness of the plight of these poor animals and to raise awareness of the struggle that all of us as rescues are going through. We are not registered charities so we don't get any funding at all. We rely purely on donations from the public. All our fund raising that we rely on during the summer to keep us going has been cancelled during the virus and we are struggling to stay open financially due to the crippling costs involved.
I feel so, so angry and upset that the extenuating circumstances to my speeding are not being considered and I want to fight this while also raising support for the vital work that we all, as volunteers, do.
Organizer
Katherine Martinez
Organizer
England
