The RSPCA has launched an appeal for information after a hedgehog is believed to have been kicked to death leaving her babies as orphans who would not survive without her milk.
The poor female hedgehog was found by a concerned member of the public at around 2pm on Monday 18 September in an alleyway that runs from Glebe Avenue, past Clavering Road and into Church Meadows, in Braintree, Essex
The worried finder took the hedgehog to the Wildlives Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Thorrington – but sadly she passed aways soon after.
An examination of the hedgehog revealed she had been healthy and a good weight – but that she had severe bruising and swelling to the right side of her abdomen.
Heartbreakingly, the female hedgehog was lactating which means she would have had babies that have been left as orphans as a result of this incident believed to have been caused by being kicked.
Rosie Catford, from Wildlives, said: “It was so upsetting for us all to see this poor hedgehog in this state and to know that she had suffered so much pain. She died when she got here and she had bruising and swelling which was most likely from internal bleeding.
“No living creature should be treated this way and hedgehogs are red listed and in danger of extinction and losing a hedgehog and possibly three to five babies as well is devastating – every life is important.
“We are all finding it hard to come to terms with what she would have suffered and it’s something we cannot get out of our minds. “
RSPCA Inspector Emma Beynon said: “We are all just devastated by what has happened to this poor hedgehog and it is even more upsetting to think that she had probably only recently had some baby hogs which have now been left alone without their mum.
“We believe she has been kicked to death judging by her injuries and why someone would do this to such an innocent animal is just impossible to understand.
“Whoever did this is not only responsible for the death of this hedgehog but also her babies as well who won’t be able to survive without her.
“I am investigating this and I am appealing for information and I would urge anyone who might have any information to contact me in confidence on the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018 quoting incident 01157240.”
It is illegal to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal. Hedgehogs living in the wild are protected by the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.
