Latest News
Kicked Lewes Hedgehog Update
18 May 2010
Vets have confirmed that a hedgehog found at Lewes yesterday morning has been kicked and seriously injured. The hedgehog has suffered severe trauma to its mouth and nasal cavity. The upper jaw has been fractured in three places and been pushed backwards.
"I am sickened and very upset" said Trevor Weeks, "Over the years I have hardened emotionally but now and then you get cases which are upsetting and sickening, this is one of them. I find cruelty very hard to come to terms with. I don’t get upset easily but this is sick and disgusting. Whoever has done this is a seriously shallow person and one who needs to be named and shamed."
WRAS is urging anyone who sees hedgehogs or other animals being kicked or ill treated to report them to the police straight away.
Hedgehogs are thought to be on the decline across the UK and these incidents do not help. "What have these little helpless creatures done to deserve this cruelty? I will be contacting Sussex Police to log this incident with them like the incident recently at Uckfield last week, as well as contacting the local schools and colleges to advise them of the situation and ask for their help in stamping out this abuse" said Trevor.
Henley House Vets in Uckfield today had to put the hedgehog to sleep as the damage to the upper jaw was too severe to repair. Advise was taken from St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire to ensure no other option was open to us.
- END -
Press Contact: Trevor Weeks, Director, East Sussex WRAS, 07931 523958
Help WRAS help wildlife in need by buying a wildlife adoption pack. Bird of Prey, Badger, Deer, Fox, Swan and Hedgehog available.
It is very easy to assume a bird has been abandoned when you find it on the ground, but quite often it is a fledgling learning to fly. When a fledgling takes its first flight it is going to be unsuccessful, it is natural for them to spend 2-3 days on the ground sometimes before they can fly properly. Mum and dad will normally be nearby but they do not always fly down to feed every few minutes as they are trying to encourage the youngster to fly. Both the youngster and the parents are good at hiding themselves.