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Don’t miss the final Secret World Open Weekend of 2009. Celebrating all that is great about British Wildlife, and the work that Secret World does rescuing and rehabilitating, this is a ‘not to be missed’ chance!

Animals that you might see if you visit include foxes, badgers, owls, hawks, swans, goats, bats, hedgehogs, baby birds (and more), and there is plenty to keep you entertained including a climbing wall, craft stalls and ferret racing!

We do not charge an admission, we just ask for a donation to Secret World.

Secret World’s Animal Antics Open Weekend is open 10am to 4pm, Saturday 29th, Sunday 30th and Monday 31st August.

So on my last entry I told you all how I’d volunteered to tag along on the Dartmoor Trek…. and boy was it an experience! The walking itself wasn’t too bad, although I think I’ve got my training to thank for that, but Dartmoor did do its best to make it a true challenge by throwing some pretty horrendous weather at us.

But I’m happy to report that everyone made it home safely, and we think around £3000 will have been raised for Secret World. Big thanks to Simon and Danni Perrot for organising it, and for the excellent support of Beryl, Bob and Simon.

Training for the half marathon has been kept light around the Dartmoor Trek, and this week I’m thinking a little 3 or 4 miles to get me back in the groove, and then a 9 or 10 miles on Thursday. After that I think it will be a case of tailing the training down to make sure I’m as fresh as possible for the 6th September….

Secret World will again be featured on Michaela’s Road Trip, Channel 5′s popular new wildlife show. The presenter has been visiting animal centres up and down the country and in June this year spent two days at Secret World, learning more about the work that the charity performs.

One of the shows in the series has already featured Secret World, but there was so much to film that tomorrow’s show (Wednesday 19th August) will also be set here.

So that’s 6pm, Wednesday 19th August, but if you do miss it, you can watch it afterwards online at the Channel 5 website.

Derek is spoiling Albert rotten but Albert still is not a happy chappie when you leave him in a room. Rocky is leaving his foot alone today so perhapshis anti-biotics are calming the infection down.

I forgot to tell you that the heron went home yesterday so that was a success. A deer came in late last night. Graeme, one of our volunteers had been to fetch it and got here just around 10.30. I dressed its wounds as it had already seen a vet who had put a pressure bandage on the wounds on the leg but wanted it removed once she got here.

She’s got some nasty wounds from a dog attack and is fairly out of it. I was surprised to see that she made it through the night but Lisa has had a quick look but said to wait and see. I can see that she is moving around the pen on the cameras but she is still in shock.

The Dartmoor crew got home about 3 p.m. Very exhausted but no doubt, proud that they made it. I’m sure there will be some stories to tell tomorrow!

Derek and I managed to do a bit of gardening but not enough to make an impression. I was quite late going down to do the deer and was amused to see that the badger cubs were all waiting for their food.

Badger huddle waiting for dinner!

Another late callout tonight as some people brought in a badger that had been in a road accident. We took it in to the vets as it had suffered head trauma. With no obvious injuries, it has come home having had anti-biotics and steroids to reduce the swelling on the head. I’ve made him as comfortable as I can for the night.

Ozzy had to have a late swim and bottle and I’ve just checked the RTA badger now 1.40 a.m. and certainly he is not worse. I hope both the deer and the badger make it through the night.

It seemed so quiet without Albert home first thing in the morning. It’s always him who instigates the howling pack out into the garden as soon as we get up. Liz, the vet left a message to pick him up at 11 a.m. and then we could have a chat about the different cubs we have had problems with.

Managed to get a couple of letters done but there were call outs almost as soon as the day started and it’s surprising how long it takes working your way down the list of response drivers until you get one that can help – still we usually find one !!

Ozzy took his first bottle very well and enjoyed a run around the kitchen until it was time to go back to bed.

I took Rocky in to see Liz as well as his claw is looking infected. He just won’t leave it alone and only has to be left for a few minutes for him to get the bandage off. I didn’t even trust him on the journey in so anyone following a corsa van with a huge dog looking out of the back window with a great collar blanking all views, it was Rocky and me!!

Liz has put Rocky on antibiotics and poor little Albert is not allowed to jump up on chairs, no stairs and controlled walking so have had to put a dog cage in the kitchen and in my office as he is so quick at sneaking out. I’ll have to teach him to howl more in tune, bless him.

Albert - not a happy chappy when in the cage

Lots of other call outs during the day. Luckily Maggie was in this afternoon to do the phones so there was a short respite. I had someone ring up about a mallard duck with 3 ducklings in Macclesfield! Managed to pass that one on to Lower Moss Hospital at Knutsford. It’s really useful having so many contacts.

 Ozzy had his first swimming lesson in the bath this evening and loved it. He did about 8 lengths and then thought it was time to come out!

Ozzy in the bath - look at his webbed foot!