Meet the Staff - Ashleigh and Seb joined the team earlier this year find out how they are doing
Submitted by Steve on 13:36, 22nd Jul, 2016 |
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At the end of 2015 beginning of 2016 Seb Goman joined the team at the GSPCA to help primarily on kennels but has been learning to work and care for the animals in the many other departments. Seb also helps to ensure we have 24/7 cover at the Shelter and has become a fantastic member of the team with her caring and helpful nature.
In April 2016 Ashleigh Le Page joined the team and has also been learning the many departments at the GSPCA working primarily caring for the cats but also learning to care for the 300+ animals at the GSPCA.
Both are animal care assistants with Seb working full time and Ashleigh working part time and often helping with extra hours to meet the needs of the Shelter and the animals in our care.
We recently asked both a few questions to find out their thoughts on their first few months -
Why did you want to work for the GSPCA?
Seb said "I wanted to work for the GSPCA because I have always loved animals and I saw what great and hard work the staff do and really wanted to be part of it."
Ashleigh said "I've always loved all animals and always wanted to work with them."
What is your favourite thing about working for the GSPCA?
Seb said "My favourite thing about working for the GSPCA is interacting with the animals and I find it really rewarding caring for the sick and injured animals. I recently got to be a surrogate mum to three baby hedgehogs which was awesome."
Ashleigh said "Meeting and caring for all of the different animals, plus working with all the hard working dedicated staff."
What would you like to see us develop, build or improve at the GSPCA?
Seb said "I think better dog bathing facilities would be nice as I seem to get soaked more than the dogs do with what we currently have."
Ashleigh said "It would be lovely to put down new kennel flooring in some of the sections."
What was your first pet?
Seb said "My first pet was a pure white rex rabbit and his name was Ribby."
Ashleigh said "My first pet was a rabbit called Smokey."
What is your favourite species and why?
Seb said "Rabbits! I have four myself and I just love everything about them."
Ashleigh said "My favourite is horses because they fascinate me."
What do you look forward learning more about at the GSPCA?
Seb said "I look forward to learning every department as there is so much to learn. We get so many different animals in, some you would never dream of seeing for example Olivia the turtle!"
Ashleigh said "I'm looking forward looking after and getting to see and meet all the different unusual animals and learning to care for them."
What would you like to see someone sponsor or donate towards at the GSPCA?
Seb said "I can't think of a specific event to sponsor but all fund raising is always appreciated. If I were to organise an event it would fun and silly so everyone could enjoy!"
Ashleigh said "Someone to sponsor having the kennel flooring would be lovely."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "We are so pleased that Seb and Ashleigh have joined the team here at the GSPCA and both are doing extremely well."
"When we do have a vacancy we always have a huge response and we have had up to 70 applications for one post in the past."
"We are so lucky to have such a wonderful team and I feel extremely proud to be part of the GSPCA and have so many caring and hard working members of the team."
"We are always trying to look at what we do at the GSPCA and what we need in the future and both new kennel flooring and dog bathing facilities are on our wish lists."
"Ashleigh and Seb recently posed with a few of the items that kind individuals had donated from our Amazon Wish List which you can see online and thank you to all that donated."
"We couldn't help over 3000 animals a year without the great staff and amazing volunteers and a huge thank you to them all for everything they do."
We really need your help to get Olivia back to warmer waters.
Olivia is now ready to be flown to the Canary islands and we are currently appealing for funds to help towards the costs of her flight.
With just over £5000 raised so far we are well on the way towards being able to afford the costs of her flight.
To transport a loggerhead turtle from one country to another requires Cites documents which is now in place.
When we first rescued Olivia she was extremely weak, starving, dehydrated and close to death.
Just over four months later and she is now swimming and eating on her own which is difficult to achieve in captivity.
The next big step for Olivia is to get her back to a warmer climate and a rescue centre with experience to finish her rehabilitation.
We have arranged a place for Olivia in the Canary Islands and we need to raise the funds and arrange a plane to help transport her back to where she belongs.
Geoff George Ambulance Driver, Marine Medic and main carer for Olivia at the GSPCA said "Olivia is eating extremely well which is is a massive step in her rehabilitation as they are so difficult to feed in captivity."
"She is strong enough to travel and we are appealing for any donations to help fund her transport, container and care to get her to the Canary Islands."
"She is doing very well at the GSPCA and now we have the paperwork in place we are planning how to get her back where she belongs."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "Each day we move closer to be able to move Olivia to Gran Canaria and we are currently appealing for any final funds to help move her south."
"A huge thank you to everyone that has donated so far which has helped raise well over £5000 and although we have had quotes between £12500 and £35000 we are hoping to be able to transport her for less than this with final plans happening to fly her to a turtle rescue in the Canaries as we speak."
"Olivia was so weak, dehydrated and thin we were really worried for her when she first arrived, but thanks to the team at the GSPCA especially Geoff George, John Knight and the team at the Vetcare Centres, Les Van Blerk and the team at Vets 4 Pets, Spa De La Mare, Waitrose, Guernsey Reef, States Works, Guernsey Aquarium, Guernsey Builders, Le Friquet Garden Centre and many others she has improved each day and is now ready for a long journey."
"Loggerhead turtles are listed as Endangered and facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources."
"In the wild they face many threats with the greatest threat being a loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests and human disturbances such as coastal lighting and housing developments that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings."
"Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. as well as incidental capture in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for these wonderful creatures."
"World wide the population of loggerhead turtles is estimated to only be between 40,000 and 50,000 nesting females which is less than the population of Guernsey."
"We are now desperately looking to find a plane that could help and donations towards the travel to help with costs of fuel and landing taxes."
"New Era Vets from Jersey have helped start the fund with a donation of £280 which was left after transporting the loggerhead turtle called Terri they rescued earlier this year and we are hugely grateful to them and to others that have donated towards her care."
"We have had many quotes well over £12,500 up to £35,00 to transport Olivia, but with the help of some friends and Petair we are hoping it will be much less to help get this very special lady home."
"Team members led by Kip Power at the GSPCA are building a travel container for Olivia which again comes as an additional cost to meet IATA transport regulations for turtles and will likely cost around £200 if anyone would like to doante to this."
"We will have to use veterinary products and rehydration substances to help Olivia during transit as well as have a number of the team and a vet to help ensure she travels safely as she is the size of a car bonnet at 3 feet wide by 4 feet long."
"We are all very excited that we will soon have everything in palce to transport Olivia south and if anyone would like to donate to help her and the many other animals in our care there are many ways in which you can do this from phone to online.
"Thank you to everyone that has helped so far it is really appreciated."
To make a donation online please click the giving.gg, the paypal button below, call 01481 257261, by post or at the GSPCA.
If you would liek to help in anyway you can contact GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne 01481 257261 or email [email protected]
Common Name: Loggerhead - named for its exceptionally large head.
Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
Description: Head is very large with heavy strong jaws. Carapace is bony without ridges and has large, non-overlapping, rough scutes (scales) present with 5 lateral scute. Carapace is heart shaped. Front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws, while the rear flippers can have 2 or 3 claws. Carapace is a reddish-brown with a yellowish-brown plastron. Hatchlings have a dark-brown carapace with flippers pale brown on margins.
Size/Weight/Age: The Loggerhead measures up to 1.1 meters (3.5 ft) long when fully grown, weighing approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb) and have a lifespan of 47-67 years.
Diet: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom dwelling invertebrates: mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other marine animals. Its large and powerful jaw serve as an effective tool in dismantling its prey.
Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Reproduction: Female Loggerheads, between the age of 17 to 33, will usually mate every 2 to 4 years.
Crawl Pattern: 1) Alternating comma-shaped flipper marks 2) Wavy and smoothed track center with no thin, straight, and well-defined tail-drag mark 3) No regular marking from front flippers at the margins of the track
Nesting: Female Loggerheads are known to nest from one to seven times within a nesting season (mean is about 4.1 nests per season) at intervals of approximately 12–17 days. Mean clutch size varies from about 100 to 126 along the southeastern United States coast. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 95 days, depending on incubation temperatures, but averages 55 to 60 days for most clutches.
International Status - Listed as Endangered (facing high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN)
Threats to Survival: Fishing gear is the biggest threat to loggerheads in the open ocean. They often become entangled in longlines or gillnets. According to the 2009 status review of loggerheads by the Fisheries Service, drowning from entanglement in longline and gillnet fishing gear is the turtles’ primary threat in the North Pacific. The second greatest threat is loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that discourages nesting and interferes with the hatchlings' ability to navigate to the water's edge
To see some of the businesses that have helped please check out the links below.
To donate to the turtle or Bonnie the grey seal pup please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.
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To find out about our Events, how to become a Member, Sponsor an Animal Pen, our Wish List, Corporate Sponsorship & Volunteering, , our New Build & Redevelopment Appeal and much more please click here.
There are many ways to support the work of the GSPCA and you can even donate online by clicking the paypal link below.
By post cheques payable to 'GSPCA' - GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD
Or by phone 01481 257261.
To find out more regarding our Angel Sponsorship Scheme please click here.
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