SPIKE IN HOG AID

Hedgies’ July hell

CALLS to the RSPCA about hedgehogs rise sharply in July after concerned members of the public find orphaned sick or injured creatures.

Last year an average of six hedgehogs a day were admitted to one of the charity’s four special wildlife centres.

But in the peak month of July this rose to an average of between 12 and 13 a day or one every two hours.

Wildlife Scientific Officer Evie Button said: “We receive more calls about hedgehogs than about almost any other wild animal, with a total of 10,644 calls taken last year. July is our busiest month for hedgehogs.”

The main reasons callers give are that they found a sick or injured animal, 6,067 calls, an orphaned newborn or juvenile, 1,252, or an animal that was trapped or entangled, 449.

Evie added: “We also receive calls from people who have seen a baby hedgehog – a hoglet – on its own.

“Our advice is first to check whether they actually need rescuing, by watching from a distance. Generally, it’s best to

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Petplanuk. leave them alone but there are a few things you can do to check if the hoglet does need help.

“If their eyes are open and they’re not in immediate danger, monitor from a distance. If you’re concerned, try offering food and fresh water.

“In summer, intervene straight away only if you find a hoglet in immediate danger, such as on a road, and the mother has been killed. Or if their eyes are closed and they are alone.”

Hedgehogs are a gardener’s friend, as they eat snails, slugs and insects.

The RSPCA advises us to try to keep hedgehogs safe in our gardens by removing sports and fruit netting, covering drains and holes and checking before using a strimmer or mower,

They also advise to look through compost heaps before forking over and avoid using slug pellets as these are poisonous to hedgehogs.

You can also make them a home by leaving areas of the garden wild, with piles of leaf litter and logs.

To report a hedgehog in trouble call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

MY puppy gets diarrhoea once a week on average. This doesn’t seem right. Should I be concerned that this keeps reccurring?

Netting

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