RSPCA rescues hedgehog found tangled in netting
AN animal charity is urging people to put sports netting away after a hedgehog was left at risk of dying when it became entangled in a garden in Derby.
RSPCA inspector Heather Morris was called out to rescue the hedgehog from a badminton net in a garden in Spencer Street, Alvaston.
The netting, which was trailing on the floor, was caught around the hedgehog’s head, neck, body and back legs.
The animal was unable to free itself and was in danger of suffocating but Heather managed to carefully cut it free with scissors.
She said: “The netting was all around the hedgehog and caught on her spines. As she tried to free herself she was getting more tangled.
“This is such a stressful situation for an animal, particularly a wild animal, to find themselves in.
“In these cases animals are in
danger of suffocating or starving, but luckily her predicament had been spotted.
“We understand that many people are not aware that netting used for gardening or in sport, or to fence off areas, can be really dangerous for animals and we are trying to raise awareness of this.
“We would urge those using netting for sports to remove and store all nets after their game and put any discarded or old netting safely in a bin. Any garden netting, such as pond netting, should be replaced with solid metal mesh.”
The hedgehog was taken to Pride Vets in Derby for a check-up following its ordeal, which happened on Friday, September 3. It was found to be in good health so Heather took the animal back to where it had been found so it could be released back into the wild.
She said: “The family who found her were lovely so I took the hedgehog back in a box to them with some bedding and some cat food inside. I then left them instructions to release her from a box later in the evening in their garden and she happily returned to the wild.
“I am grateful that the homeowner spotted the distressed hedgehog and reported the matter to us.”
The RSPCA receives hundreds of calls every year to rescue animals – often wildlife – that have become tangled in netting.
For more information about how to help hedgehogs in your garden, visit the RSPCA’s website. If you encounter a wild animal you think needs help, call the emergency line on 0300 1234 999.