A baby hedgehog had to be euthanised after being kicked around like a football by a group of children in Maidstone, Kent. The incident occurred when a DPD driver spotted the animal being attacked and intervened, stopping the cruelty before taking the hoglet to a Vets for Pets branch. From there, a volunteer collected it and brought it to Thorne Hedgehog Rescue.
Hedgehog sustained multiple injuries
The hedgehog, estimated to be between six and eight weeks old, suffered multiple injuries from blunt force trauma. It was placed in the intensive care unit and given fluids for shock and pain relief. However, after a vet assessed it under sedation, it was discovered that the animal's upper palate was broken and its liver lacerated due to the impact. To end its suffering, the hoglet was put to sleep.
Rescue owner speaks out
Lisa Steward, owner of Thorne Hedgehog Rescue, said the animal had been 'kicked like a football'. She noted that any hedgehog out during the day is likely sick or injured. 'He would be struggling in this heat with dehydration, limited access to water, and he's very young as well, so they come out because they need help,' she said. 'Any kid seeing that, you would think they would tell their mum, who would organise for it to go to a vet or rescue, but that didn't happen. He was deteriorating and losing weight. Nothing we seemed to do helped.'
Fourth such incident in a year
Steward revealed that this is the fourth time in the past year a hoglet has been used as a football. 'You would think that anyone who saw an animal in pain would not want to worsen and inflict further pain and suffering,' she said. 'We're getting 15 to 20 hedgehogs in a day at the moment, and the last thing we need is deliberate cruelty cases. Unfortunately, it's something we're seeing more and more commonly.'
Rescue centre overwhelmed
The rescue centre currently cares for 100 hedgehogs, over 60 of which are orphaned hoglets. The service, based in Smarden Road, is entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff. To help cover costs for medication, food, and cleaning supplies, a JustGiving page has been set up. Steward also advised that putting out a shallow dish of water each day can be a 'lifesaver' for hedgehogs during the heatwave.
