Latest news with #VetsForPets
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Hereford vet's puffin surprise after seabird blown in from Welsh coast
A lost puffin, named Oona, was discovered 110 miles inland in a Hereford garden, likely blown off course from the Pembrokeshire coast. She was rescued by a local resident and taken to Vets for Pets, where practice manager Elliot Goodwin nursed her back to health from a weak and underweight condition. Oona was transferred to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre for specialist assessment and rehabilitation due to ongoing concerns about the waterproofing of her feathers. Vets are closely monitoring her feather quality, weight gain, and ability to float to determine when she will be ready for release back into the wild. The discovery of a puffin so far inland was highly unusual, as these seabirds rarely venture away from coastal nesting areas.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Oona the puffin found in Hereford garden after being blown 100 miles from seaside nest
A lost puffin is being assessed for release after being blown 110 miles inland from the coast of Pembrokeshire. A local found the bird in her Hereford garden and quickly took her to Vets for Pets, where local practice manager Elliot Goodwin nursed her back to health. She was named Oona after the main character in the animated children's TV programme Puffin Rock. She was originally due to be released on Wednesday, but the vets had concerns over the waterproofing of her feathers. Mr Goodwin drove Oona to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre on Wednesday for specialist assessment and rehab accommodation. 'It's really important that as a seabird going back to the wild, her feathers are in really good condition,' Mr Goodwin said. RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre said: 'Huge thank you to the whole team at 'Vets for Pets Hereford' for your care towards this beautiful bird! An amazing example of what vets and local wildlife organisations can achieve.' Vets for Pets staff were initially sceptical that Oona was actually a puffin, since the seabirds rarely venture inland and Hereford is about 110 miles from their nearest coastal nesting area. But they quickly realised they were indeed treating a puffin, thought to have been blown off from a nest on Skomer or Skokholm islands off the Welsh coast. Oona was underweight and weak when she arrived, but has thrived since staff began feeding her a special formula from animal nutritionist Becky Bridges, and eventually fish. 'We were surprised, to say the least. Puffins never venture this far inland unless they're disoriented or have been blown off course. It's likely she was returning to her nesting site in west Wales and lost her way,' Mr Goodwin told The Times.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Una the puffin found in Herefordshire is set for release
Una the puffin was first found 110 miles (177km) inland in a garden in Herefordshire - but now, after a clean bill of health, she is set for seabird was found near Stoke Lacy on Thursday, before being taken to Vets for the time, practice owner Elliot Goodwin said: "We're very hopeful she will be okay, but it's a sad reality that it will be a long way to get her to the point of recovery and release."But less than a week later, Mr Goodwin has revealed the bird has fully recovered from its unexpected journey and will be released in Pembrokeshire, to join the colony she is thought to have come from, later this week. Discussing Una's health at the time she was found, he said: "She's very tired, she's exhausted. So normally, these guys would weigh somewhere around 400g but she weighs 218g."She seems fairly bright but the challenge with all wildlife is they're so good at concealing when they are unwell." Speaking to BBC Hereford & Worcester to update listeners on the animal, Mr Goodwin said: "She's doing very well despite initial expectations, if I'm honest. "With a bird like this that is so far from home we were worried she might succumb to illness."But no, she's gone from strength to strength." Mr Goodwin said the plan is to to transport Una over the border into Wales, later this week."We need to take her back from where she's comes from and we suspect she's come from the Pembrokeshire coastline, so Skomer or Skokholm Island," he said. "We're planning on transporting her so she's very close to where there are existing puffin colonies." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Puffin found roaming in Herefordshire garden
A puffin has been discovered 110 miles (177km) off course in a garden in Herefordshire. The animal was found near Stoke Lacy and taken to Vets for owner Elliot Goodwin said: "We suspect it is a simple case of her just getting lost, most likely from Skomer or Skokholm Island out in Pembrokeshire, Wales, as that's our nearest puffin colonies."She was probably just heading back to her nest and got blown off course and then here we are, as simple as that we suspect." Mr Goodwin added: "Sometimes it doesn't just happen to one so it's possible there could be more in the area." The practice was contacted by one of its clients who had found the puffin. Mr Goodwin said: "As you can imagine, we get phone calls about all sorts of wildlife and sometimes people get a bit confused and think some things are something different than what they actually are. "So we didn't quite believe it was going to be a puffin but no, sure enough she came in with the puffin." Discussing the animal's health, Mr Goodwin said: "She's very tired, she's exhausted. So normally, these guys would weigh somewhere around 400 grams but she weighs 218."She seems fairly bright but the challenge with all wildlife is they're so good at concealing when they are unwell."But we're very hopeful she will be OK but it's a sad reality that it will be a long way to get her to the point of recovery and release." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
