Nursing animals back to health helps Phillip England manage his own mental health

It was just by chance that Phillip England found his saving grace by saving the little lives of helpless animals.

Kelso resident Phillip England is a breeder and keeper of a range of reptiles and amphibians but also is proud to be an animal rescue volunteer and over the years has nursed back to health bats, possums, wallabies, native birds, frogs and turtles. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

It was just by chance that Phillip England found his saving grace by saving the little lives of helpless animals.

For the last seven years Mr England has been a breeder and keeper of amphibians and reptiles.

After his roommate became a volunteer with the North Queensland Wildlife Care five years ago, it encouraged Mr England to join the organisation.

Since then he has hand-nursed countless sick and injured animals back to health.

He said rehabiliating animals had saved his own health after having a mental break down at work five years ago.

“It helps me fight my depression and anxiety because they are dependent on me so I have to get out of bed every morning and have a routine,” he said.

“If you are not able to get up and look after them, they won’t survive.”

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Mr England is currently looking after 30 bats and just released a turtle back into the wild at the beginning of the week.

He said looking after animals had given him an appreciation for life.

“It is a great sense of satisfaction especially the misunderstood species like flying foxes and how important they are to our eco system,” he said.

“It is just a feeling of achievement and there is a lot of death and horrible things but it nice to finally release an animal back into the wild; it is a fulfilling feeling.”

Mr England is dedicated to his animals with some requiring around the clock care.

Baby bats require five feeds a day, every four hours.

Mr England said he saw a counsellor every fortnight and a psychiatrist every six months and they both supported his rescue efforts.

“They class my animals as my baseline so if Im not looking after them, they know I am not travelling well,” he said.

“Both of them are intrigued and are amazed at what I am doing and the psychiatrist in particular was encouraging me to pursue more reptiles and turn it into more of a business.”

Originally published as Nursing animals back to health helps Phillip England manage his own mental health