Appeal After Hedgehog Thrown Into River Welland

The RSPCA is appealing for information after a group of boys threw a hedgehog into the River Welland in Market Harborough.

Witnesses saw them blowing cannabis smoke into a bag containing the mammal, before it was thrown into the water.

Thankfully, they were able to retrieve the hedgehog and its now being cared for at the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth.

The animal charity has described it as a shocking and callous act.

It happened on the evening on Saturday April the 10th, on the Millennium Mile opposite the Memorial Gardens.

RSPCA Inspector Karl Marston: “We are extremely grateful to the members of the public for saving this poor hedgehog’s life and for keeping her safe overnight until we were able to collect her and take her to the hospital.

“I am frankly quite shocked by what I have been told has potentially happened to this poor hedgehog and it is a miracle that she survived given all she has been through.

“Witnesses said they saw a group of young males, possibly teenagers with the hedgehog and they had her in a bag and were believed to be blowing cannabis smoke into the bag.

“They then tipped the the hedgehog out of  the bag into the water near Memorial Park near Northampton Road.

“It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to deliberately attack an animal in this horrific and callous way.

“It’s shocking and upsetting and we desperately need to hear from anyone who may know anything about this incident.

“We are very grateful to the members of the public who tried to save the hedgehog and thank them for their help and support. Hedgehogs are in decline in the UK so anything we can do to protect them is vital.

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital said: “We are saddened and shocked to hear what has happened to this hedgehog as she would have just woken up from hibernation.

“Despite everything that has happened to her she is still fighting on – she is currently being cared for in one of our incubators. We have discovered that she is blind in one eye, and we don’t think this is in relation to the cruelty incident, so therefore she will remain in our care.

“She was also covered in ticks, which we have now removed.”

Anyone with any information about this incident should call the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.