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.

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Press Contact: Trevor Weeks, Director, East Sussex WRAS, 07931 523958

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