Care for "Bob" the turaco

Update December 4th: I am so sad to have to update that Bob has died. Sue phoned from the Wildlife Hospital yesterday to let me know. The vet did a post-mortem and observed that Bob's liver and gall bladder were hard/diseased, so thinks that he had a chronic condition that had probably been worsening for a while. I have thanked Sue for all the care that Bob received, and am glad that he was well cared for at the end. We are all so sad and will miss his lively personality and enduring (unrequited) love for chickens.

Thank you to everyone for your donations - the hospital has asked me to pass on their thanks and gratitude as they continue to care for an astonishing number of animals (600 currently). I will leave this fundraiser up for anyone who wants to donate to the hospital for all their great work and in memory of Bob

Update 22nd October: Bob is stable but is still open-beaked breathing. The hospital are not sure what is causing his ongoing breathing problem, which continues despite all the treatment he has received. They are consulting with turaco experts. Bob continues to receive excellent care. He will be at the hospital for the whole winter as he is still in a weakened condition. The hospital is very grateful for the kind donations towards their amazing work with so many animals in need. Huge thanks to everyone who has donated.

Update 14th October: Bob is doing a lot better! The hospital owner is very pleased with his progress. They will let me know when his condition changes significantly.

7th October evening: Bob is still on treatment and is hanging in there. The hospital will let me know if his condition changes and I will update here when they do. They are very grateful to hear that over £1000 has been raised and are very ready to put it to work. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated or shared this fundraiser.

Hello, I am raising money for South Essex Wildlife Hospital to thank them for their care for "Bob" the turaco. All donations go directly to the hospital. Thank you in advance for your donation.

My name is Sarah, I live in Aldersbrook, Wanstead, east London, and like many people in this community I have been lucky enough to get to know "Bob", the white-cheeked turaco who has lived wild since at least 2011 (according to Wikipedia). He has become a local celebrity, with his bright feathers, cheeky personality, loud call, his lovelorn visits to the backyard chickens in the area, and his love of blueberries and other fruit gifts from his many admirers.

On October 5th I found Bob in our garden, unable to fly and wheezing badly. I contacted several local vets, but none could provide emergency care for this exotic species.

With the help of the RSPCA to catch him safely, we took him to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

The hospital has been incredible - he was immediately seen by a vet who x-rayed Bob to check for any obstruction to his breathing and gave him oxygen, medication for a suspected respiratory infection and anti-inflammatory drugs. Bob is still very sick, but he is receiving the best care possible.

The hospital relies on donations, so there is no vets bill for Bob, but I know that many people would like to donate to repay them for their great work. I will update this page with Bob's progress.

More information about South Essex Wildlife Hospital: Dedicated to putting "life" back into the "wild", SEWH is a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and public advice charity. We care for sick and injured wildlife and aim to release animals back into the wild.

No injured or sick animal is turned away. SEWH relies entirely on donations. We help thousands of birds and animals each year. They wouldn't be alive today without your help. Even a small sum will make a big difference.