Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation
Two-day Course - 22 CVE Credits (in 2024)
WRI is delighted to present our 2 DAY Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation Course!
WHEN: 2025, Date tbc (email enquiries@wri.ie with your preference!)
Programme
Day 1
Identification, Rescuing, Capture & transport
Intake, Stress, Handling & restraint
Clinical examination, Euthanasia
Day 2
Feeding & nutrition, Housing, Enrichment
Zoonoses, Common conditions
Release, Post-release monitoring
Wing stabilisation
Wildlife rescue kit
Instructors
We are lucky enough to have these highly qualified veterinary professionals, all offering their services to WRI to teach this course over the years. Each course is taught by at least one of the following Instructors:
- Vicki Baldrey, BSc(Hons) BVSc DZooMed(Avian) MRCVS RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.
- Mark Naguib BVMS(Hons) CertAVP(ZooMed) MRCVS, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine.
- Kieran Corry MVB MRCVS PgCertSurg (WBIS)
Kieran Corry, MVB MRCVS PgCertSurg (WBIS)
After graduating with first-class honours from University College Dublin in 2005 Kieran worked in a busy large and small animal practice in County Tyrone. To pursue his interest in the small animal field, particularly orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, he moved to Birmingham to work in a small animal practice. After moving back to Ireland in 2010, Kieran worked initially in Clontarf Veterinary Hospital in Dublin and now he and Louise O’Hare run the only independent veterinary practice in Omagh
Fees
Income-Based Fee Structure:
Wage disparities exist in many professions, the earning potential for veterinary surgeons is generally higher than that of veterinary nurses – accordingly WRI charge lower-income individuals a reduced fee, while those with higher incomes pay a higher fee.
Despite our courses being taught by International experts in their field that WRI fly over from the UK, plus the significant additional value gained from the course having a 50% practical component, our courses are still vastly cheaper than many other VCI accredited events.
WRI’s belief is that education is fundamental to attaining our mission; to promote and advance wildlife rehabilitation, welfare and protection so we prioritise education over profit subject to covering costs. Any profits are ploughed straight back into WRI’s charitable activities.
WRI Grant Assistance
WRI grants will mainly be given for capital projects, equipment, veterinary fees or attendance at educational events, however, each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. More grant information HERE
Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation Course Report
This training course concentrates on the theory and practice of wildlife rehabilitation and in order to provide the optimum learning opportunity the course is limited to an intimate group of twenty attendees. With this small group size, our instructors are able to tailor their teaching to the level of knowledge you already have. This course is therefore open to anyone – regardless of your wildlife experience.
This course – ‘Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation is a comprehensive introduction to this profession. You will learn about: the legal and ethical issues regarding wildlife rehabilitation in Ireland; safe rescue and handling techniques of wild animals; how to perform a physical examination; first aid and common ailments encountered; what to feed wildlife and how to house them; zoonotic diseases; and release considerations.
The highlight for most attendees- the practical sessions!!, include capture and handling; physical examinations; injections; tube feeding; bandaging; and what you’ll need in your ‘Wildlife Rescue Kit!
The Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation Course is an intensive and wonderfully engaging two day course that is geared towards wildlife rehabilitators, vets, students and wildlife enthusiasts. It is run by Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI); a not for profit organisation which exists to promote awareness of wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation in Ireland.
Irish wildlife is constantly facing challenges and WRI aims to provide useful information to the general public in order to improve animal welfare in Ireland. Unfortunately there is a lack of national capacity with regards to managing and protecting wildlife in Ireland and this science-based course is a step in the right direction in terms of equipping participants with both theoretical and practical knowledge on wildlife rescue and care.
Caring for wildlife differs greatly to caring for domestic animals and during the course you will be taught how to deal with mammals and birds of all sizes and behaviour. It is run by experienced and enthusiastic professionals who teach in an easy going, anecdotal way. Their ardent passion for wildlife comes through strongly in their lectures which makes learning even more fulfilling and enjoyable.
Due to the small number of participants on the course, interaction with wildlife professionals and enthusiasts is part of the whole experience of the Course. Thus it not only provides you with invaluable knowledge but it also enables you to network with people within the wildlife sector which can lead to exciting opportunities in the future.
The Course is carefully designed to cater for people of varying abilities and experience; it is both introductory yet keeps you on your toes. The course instructors are there to assist you with any trouble you may have with the course content. Upon entering the lecture room, you are given an introduction to a collection of excellent books – everything you need to know about rehabilitating wildlife. These books can be used in the open book examination that takes place at the end of the two days. The exam allows you to demonstrate what you have learned whilst simultaneously reinforcing your understanding through the process of revision. The course instructors are on hand to help you with any questions that you may have.
This accredited (Veterinary Council of Ireland) Course is scheduled multiple times throughout the year and takes place in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Only 20 people are enrolled for each course so make sure you book early. The applied nature of this Course makes it completely unique and will enhance credibility.
If you want to make a difference and help promote the standardisation of wildlife care in Ireland then it is an invaluable course to attend. If you are studying veterinary, the course will broaden your understanding of all animals; not just companion and farm animals. By the end of the two days, you will feel well-equipped and confident in knowing that you are carrying out wildlife rehabilitation procedures in the safest, most humane way possible.
Venue
Colaiste na hInse school, Coast Road, Bettystown, Meath, A92NY30, Ireland
2023 Course
May 2023
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This course offers a good balance of theory and practical learning useful for people with a range of experience. It was quite fun too.
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Incredible amount of info for the short time we had with it and was a great intro to the work
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Absolutely recommended for anyone: rehabbers, vets, nurses or just members of the public interested in helping wildlife. Excellent and enjoyable weekend.
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Extremely informative and encouraging to see so much effort going into protecting/saving wildlife!
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Very informative, very useful knowledge that I can use going forward
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Our wildlife is unique, part of our heritage and under threat, everyone should be aware of how to protect it and who to call in an emergency
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Very informative, essential for all wildlife workers
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Very professional presentation, tutors were very knowledgeable, I can see they care
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From apprehensive to confident in a weekend
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Recommend it
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Excellent. Great course, great people
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Informative and practical. I highly recommend it for any interested in wildlife rehabilitation
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Really enjoyed the entire course. Really great crew and the time flew
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Very thorough and informative, a good base to get into wildlife rehab
2020 Course
February 2020
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Very helpful and inspirational
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Excellent and interesting and comprehensive
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Excellent teacher
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The teacher was more than excellent. Lots of time to ask questions
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Whet the appetite for further knowledge on this diverse subject
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I enjoyed every aspect
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The course covered all the basics thoroughly and I learned a lot and would be far more confident in dealing with any wildlife casualties, knowing who to contact if I did not feel confident dealing with them
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Great fun, great teaching, lots of knowledge gained
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Learned more than I expected, everyone was always helpful and friendly
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Really enjoyed it
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Excellent course. Vicki our teacher was very easy to understand and imparted the knowledge clearly through lectures and practical teaching
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Best course I’ve done, opened up a secret world of wildlife to my eyes
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Teacher was superb. Every minute crammed with useful info
2019 Courses
November 2019
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Fantastic, so glad I did it
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Covered a range of topics. Practical was excellent
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Very informative and interesting
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Learnt what I wanted to learn, lots of questions answered
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Give it a go, it’ll help you when you least expect it to to save a life possibly
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Teacher very clear and informative. Liked how respectfully animals were treated. Teacher was also very good at explaining to students about different scenarios/ diseases/ etc. She was great at answering people’s questions and explaining in a way that people could understand
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Amazing, informative, enjoyable
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Enlightening
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Excellent – I recommend it
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Absolutely fantastic day, so educational
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Everyone should learn this stuff
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Outstanding!!!
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One of the best courses I’ve been on very informative
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Great introduction to wildlife rehabilitation
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One of the only opportunities around to gain valuable experience to assist native wildlife
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Very happy I decided to take this course
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Very informative and helpful
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Very impressed by the dignity and respect shown to deceased animals
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Just the right amount of info.. will definitely want to learn more!
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Great course, learnt a lot
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I hope to pursue a career in conservation and wildlife rehabilitation; this will help me work towards that
April 2019
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An excellent course, very informative with clear demonstrations, time for questions and lots of hands-on opportunities to practice
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Fantastic course. I learned so much from it and feel more confident with care/rescue/rehab of wildlife
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Very well organised, very knowledgeable presenters, friendly and good teachers
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Very interesting, delivered by knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, great option for CPD also
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Excellent, informative and fun course. Great CPD choice
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Lots of info, delivered very well. Excellent speaker / presenter very experienced / knowledgeable, relaxed learning / teaching environment
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Very informative, a fantastic overview of rehabilitation
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Was run very smoothly and professionally and respectfully. Group of people really diverse
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Good explanation of in both theory and practical session
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I really enjoyed the course and found it especially beneficially to follow up on knowledge I had previously gained during my 3 months externship in wildlife centre of virginia
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What a wonderful, interactive way to learn so much about our Irish wildlife. Excellent two days of learning
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Fantastic learning experience, super informative interactive and practical. Highly recommend
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Fantastic and comprehensive course, essential for anyone serious about responsible wildlife rehabilitation
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If you love wildlife then this course is very worthwhile
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If you have done any rescue in the past and want to do more and need more confidence then this is the course for you!
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It is a practical and very informative course suitable to everyone with an interest in wildlife wishing to improve the level of care they can give them
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Excellent two days, great information for starting off either working with or for your own personal use in your garden
February 2019
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Excellent, well organised, educational, hands on course which gives both knowledge and confidence to help with wildlife
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I learned a lot and it is a good introduction to this subject. Thanks
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Definitely if you’re interested in wildlife you should do this
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Very informative
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Really enjoyed it, learned lots. Really informative and well run
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Great experience with hands on practicals and up close with wildlife
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Good course for a beginner
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Thoroughly enjoyed both theory and practical
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Great weekend, so much learnt and so many skills
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Excellent combination of both theory and practical
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Great fun – and I learnt a lot. Highly recommend
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Awesome course! Gave me a hunger to learn more about our wildlife
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Give back just a little to help a life
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A brilliant course for veterinary students to take if they are interested in wildlife veterinary medicine in the future
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Very good information for someone starting out in rehab and first aid. Worth missing the rugby for!
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Great basic rehabilitation course, organised very well, excellent teacher
2018 Courses
November 2018
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A brilliant course that is worth your time! Plenty of practical experience involved
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Very worthwhile and enjoyable! Learned so many new practical skills
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Good wildlife info for all levels
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Practical, interesting, great value
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Do the course – you won’t regret it!
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Great course for getting started and meeting those involved in wildlife rehabilitation
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Absolutely loved this extremely interesting and fun course. Brilliant value for money
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Essential for all those who want to help Irish wildlife in the safest and best way
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Confidence building course
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Delighted with the course, very practical and informative, I feel like I have gained useful skills and knowledge, and can’t wait to help out
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Excellent course if you have an interest in improving your knowledge of dealing with wildlife. Worthwhile experience
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Great
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Excellent for anyone interested in wildlife
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Wildlife needs our help!
October 2018
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Absolutely brilliant course. Lots of opportunities for hands on practice
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Vicki Baldrey (Instructor) was excellent. A wealth of knowledge
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Excellent course, well worth doing if interested in Irish wildlife
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Clearly explained, neither too simplistic or too difficult for my level of experience/knowledge. Very knowledgeable instructors. Fantastic to get practical practice of new skills
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Really good interesting course and very professional in terms of information and the way put together i.e. quiz, kahoot. Loads of experience from speakers and also with peers. Facilitation and lectures excellent
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Really enjoyable course, lecturers clearly had great knowledge and care for wildlife, great to be able to learn from them and practice some practical wildlife care
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Vicki Baldrey was excellent, very informative, very knowledgeable, wonderful lady
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Excellent, learnt plenty. Well worth doing if you have a keen interest in wild animals
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A brilliant course that is run by dedicated team of people that have an obvious love and respect for Ireland’s wildlife
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Great course for anyone interested in our wonderful wildlife and how it can be helped
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Excellent course, you will learn so much
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Fantastic, informative and confidence boosting
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July 2018
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Excellent Course. Very informative with fun practical sessions. Definitely worth doing
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Fantastic opportunity to learn how to make a difference for the local wildlife
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Brilliant
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Always wear gloves!
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Excellent course. Would thoroughly recommend for anyone wanting to work in rehabilitation
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Absolutely loved every minute of this course, so informative and practical, tutors were excellent. Cannot recommend enough for anyone with an interest in wildlife
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Very helpful and informative. Instructors are happy and eager to help and very supportive of all levels
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Very informative and fun two days. Would recommend to anyone who wishes to learn about Irish wildlife.
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A fantastic opportunity to gain much needed knowledge on wildlife care
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The practical session were really useful and helped in understanding the theory session which was very beneficial!
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Glove and analgesia important!
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Very informative course delivered by very knowledgeable people. Being able to practice necessary procedures was extremely useful
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Wonderful course, lovely crew, hands-on experience with many cadavers of wildlife creatures with in-depth discussion on species specific handling
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An absolute must for anyone interested in wildlife or rehabilitation. 100%
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A thoroughly interesting and enjoyable course with a lot of useful information that can be used on a regular basis while caring for wildlife. Professionally run and easy to understand and potentially use the guidelines given
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Fantastic, applicable information to rehabilitate an animal in need
2016 Courses
November 2016
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Excellent course – Do it!
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I learnt a lot in 2 days highly recommend
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Amazing course, great fun!. Highly recommend
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Great course, lots of hands on and knowledgeable people
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Very informative, well taught and lots of fun!
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Best course I have ever done
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Gives you a real insight into the life of a rescuer
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Gives you a feel of what to expect in this area of work. One of my best experiences. Boost confidence a lot!
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If I could do the course over I would, so fun, learnt so much, and everyone is so down to earth. 10/10
October 2016 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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A must do, if you have an interest in rehabilitation
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Very informative and very enjoyable
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Excellent introduction to wildlife rescue and rehab
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Really enjoyed the course and meeting the tutors, can’t wait for the next one
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Excellent course with plenty of info and hands on work
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The best CPD course for vet Nurses interested in helping wildlife patients
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Excellent course, hopefully I can use my new knowledge to make a difference to injured wildlife in Ireland
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Take it!. Learn how you can help wild animals
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A brilliant weekend with lifesaving skills learned
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A fun interactive and informative weekend well spent!
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An enjoyable and worthwhile course which I would recommend highly for anyone who cares about wildlife
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Experience and knowledge gained in two days will greatly help you as a rehabilitator
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Really enjoyable and very interesting
March 2016 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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A really informative and enjoyable course, full of likeminded people and led by persons with true passion, experience and knowledge
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Superb course well worth every penny. Recommend it to anyone
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Was a brilliant introduction to wildlife nursing. I highly recommend this course to anyone who would like to be involved in wildlife rescue and rehab
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A must for anyone already helping wildlife or wanting to get involved
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Brilliant!
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Fantastic opportunity to develop wildlife care skills in a supportive and safe environment. Would recommend to anybody in the animal industry or any animal enthusiasts
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Excellent a must for those entering rehab or vet nursing
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Great experience especially coming from Leitrim and enjoying every minute of learning new skills and info
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Enthusiastic kind helpful staff. Very hands on
Feb 2016 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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I found this course extremely useful and think that everyone should do it!
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Incredible to interact with mammals and birds of all kinds. Expanded my knowledge aon wildlife and gave me the ability to care for all animals
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Brilliant course for anyone interested in helping wildlife
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Excellent introduction to care of wildlife
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Great selection of animals for hands on experience
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Amazing course, would highly recommend
Jan 2016 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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Excellent course
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I would recommend this course for anyone who wants to know more about how to get involved with wildlife in Ireland
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An essential basic for the beginner
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Get your wildside out and help out the wild
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I really enjoyed it. I learned loads. I feel much more confident in rescuing wildlife
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Great course. Long days but worth it
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Fantastic insight – inspirational
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Best weekend course
2015 Courses
November 2015 – Killester College, Co Dublin
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Great course which covers a lot in a short space of time. Very beneficial for all
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Very good course, so interesting and fun!
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Excellent course, would really recommend
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Extremely well run and practical
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Great day. All the knowledge is there to take on board
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Absolutely excellent and very relevant
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Amazing course!!
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Worth the smell!
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If you love animal, do this course
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Loved it! Great experience and very fun!
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Amazing value for money, so enjoyable
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Really interesting, loved the practical side
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Brilliant course, very educational and provides great skill development.
Nov 2015 – Monaghan Institute, Co Monaghan
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Overall brilliant course, very enjoyable
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Brilliant course would recommend to others. Thank-you
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Very good work that is being done
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Fascinating, interesting and very useful for anything animal related
Nov 2015 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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Fantastic. Tutors had a great knowledge and personal stories helped in explaining scenarios
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I learnt a lot from my two days and the hands on experience meant I would feel confident applying techniques learned in future
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A must do for anyone involved in animal care
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Excellent 2 days!
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Great to be in the company of so many enthusiastic, well motivated people!
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Everything you need to help an animal!
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Really enjoyed this course. Run very well and professionally. Would recommend
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Absolutely fabulous, lots of useful information. Highly recommend!
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Excellent, well taught course. Very enjoyable days
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Great way to show dignity to animals after human carelessness
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Very informative and practical course. Very well run
May 2015 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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Helped me re evaluate/learn new things. Good to meet people to network
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Lots of information but very clear and concise. Appropriate lectures and excellent practical experience
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Practical work was very valuable. Theory and presentation very well delivered
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Really enjoyed the whole course. Excellent 2 days with lots of useful information
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I felt that all situations that may be relevant to me as a beginner were well covered. Instruction was informative, practical well delivered.
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Excellent course, best wildlife course I’ve done, days good length.
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Very in depth and covered a big range.
March 2015 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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Excellent and engaging, I will carry what I have learnt in to everything I do in the future
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Great tutors – great course
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Brilliant, enjoyable course to do
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Very informative and great way of networking
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Great course! Have learned a lot and feel more comfortable dealing with wildlife cases now
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Great course, learned loads, well worth it!
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Go Rehab!
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We all have a responsibility to protect the natural world. Please do this course it’s amazing!!
January 2015 – Ashbourne, Co Meath
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This course is a must for all wildlife rehabilitators and veterinary professionals with an interest in wildlife. Excellently presented and thoroughly enjoyable.
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A must for all with injured wildlife at their door
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Well organised, complete and useful course for everyone that wants to work with wildlife
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Very interesting for all animal welfares in Ireland
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A very enjoyable, informative weekend
