Badger Rescue

As some of you know for the last several weeks one of the badgers that visits The Chocolate Box has had a injured foot where it was unable to put it to the ground.

Badger Rescue Cornwall advised that badgers often cut their feet whilst digging and that we needed to give it some time to see if it would heal by itself. I have been in weekly contact with them with updates and it was agreed yesterday that they would come out to trap the badger.

As we have several badgers that visit this could be difficult as the wrong badger could go into the trap. We were also advised that if the leg was broken it would most probably have to be destroyed. Despite an offer to pay for the veterinary bills the badger would not be able to be returned to the wild after a period in captivity as the other badgers would attack it.

If the badger was a lactating female it would be returned to rear its young then recaptured and destroyed.

It was with much worry thay we watched the trap being set at 7.00 pm last night.

At 9.00pm the injured badger came to feed and after some sniffing went into the trap. The two person rescue team dashed out from their vehicle and before you knew it the badger has been transferred to a cage and covered with a blanket.

The badger was taken to the 24/7 veterinary hospital at Truro and we had the long wait to see what was the outcome.

It was with great relief that at around 11.00pm we had a telephone call to say that although the leg had been broken it had "callused" over and the badger was not in pain. It was a female in good condition and weighing in at a healthy  9kg (I am not surpirsed as we have been putting down extra food as she was injured). She had previously had cubs but she was not lactating at the moment. She would survive and was returned at midnight and released.

I do hope she comes back and has not been frightened off by last night.

Next week I hope to have some internal photographs of By The Seashore. The refurbishments are very nearly finished on the inside.

Ray has been busy preparing Hey Ho was his UK sea trip and I have been busy  ordering furniture for the new cottage. Last week I chose a comfy leather sofa, chair and footstool from Laura Ashely and some stylish oak diningroom chairs and table.

I am all shopped out now and think that I have ordered everything             needed. It is surprising how many bits and bobs are needed just for the   kitchen.

My own house has steadily been filling up with furniture and accessories and the delivery men have been kept very busy.

I hope you are all enjoying the new webcam. The weather has been chilly but we have had lots of wintery sunshine which has made for good walking weather.

Warm wishes form us all here.