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Hedgehogs kicked to death across Sussex

3:20pm Wednesday 19th May 2010 in


Wild animals are being deliberately harmed across Sussex.

A hedgehog that was brutally kicked was put down, a fox cub was poisoned and seagulls shot in a string of brutal attacks. The prickly creature suffered severe trauma from a broken jaw and had to be put out of its misery yesterday when vets decided its life could not be saved.

The savage attack on the hedgehog, found in Lewes, is the second time in less than a week in which a hedgehog needed to be put down after being kicked.

Trevor Weeks of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service said: “I am sickened and very upset. 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.”

Another hedgehog had to be put down after being found at Uckfield Community College last Wednesday. It had suffered a broken leg, damaged spine, injured eye and pneumonia after being kicked.

Comments(10)

tombraider59 says...
4:17pm Wed 19 May 10

These people are scum! I agree that they need to be named and shamed - we're too fond of protecting the guilty in this country.

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longman says...
4:23pm Wed 19 May 10

Get yourselves a football and kick that instead of a defenceless hedgehog. Mindless louts. You need stringing up and horsewhipped. Naming and shaming will achieve nothing. Its time these brainless pieces of scum get more than just their names in the newspapers. Its another bit of fun to them and cudos in front of their equally mindless friends. Perhaps taking away their benefits so they cant smoke, drink or take drugs. A little bit of 'cold turkey' in a cell somewhere might go a little way to recompence the poor creatures they have tortured.

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luluandbuster says...
5:07pm Wed 19 May 10

tombraider59 wrote:
These people are scum! I agree that they need to be named and shamed - we're too fond of protecting the guilty in this country.
How I agree Tombraider59. Most gardeners would consider it an honour to have hedgehogs in their garden as they eat slugs and snails. We found a live one trapped in a drain on our driveway and we rescued it. Thanks to Tigglywinkles they recommended a rescue charity which collected it and returned it to our garden when it was fully recovered. We do not use slug pellets or insecticide in our garden as our little prickly family are still resident and have loads to feed on. We also leave areas overgrown so they have places to go in our relatively small garden. Anyone that hurts an animal or a bird for fun needs to be severely punished and I agree no matter what age, they should be named and shamed. I have lived in the West Sussex countryside for 7 years and have never seen a fox. Yet when I lived within the Surrey part of Greater London, they were prolific feral scavengers. I would never have poisoned an animal because it was causing a nuisance. Must also say that Trevor Weeks & his volunteers work their butts off to save wild animals with very little acknowledgement.

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Kevin1978 says...
6:35pm Wed 19 May 10

And most likely those who do it are young thugs in their early teens. These are thee same ones who turn into potential killers. A tragedy that they weren't aborted by their mothers.

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booplady says...
7:28pm Wed 19 May 10

I quite strongly agree with tomraider59 and I'm quite a bit upsetting. They are scum and should be punished!!!!!! I am animal lover.

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Britt Read says...
12:01am Thu 20 May 10

I want to know...why can't hedgehogs share the same hedge...

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kennydoit says...
8:56am Thu 20 May 10

Britt Read wrote:
I want to know...why can't hedgehogs share the same hedge...
Probably the same reason that not everyone in Hove lives at your place!

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Murgatroyd says...
12:54pm Thu 20 May 10

So people who hurt hedgehogs are scum. I agree. However, according to more than a few of you who commented on another story - people who shoot seagulls are to be applauded. Double standards much!

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Britt Read says...
2:04pm Thu 20 May 10

Why do they kick them across Sussex? Surely that is overkill.

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Greenlover says...
5:06pm Thu 20 May 10

yeah so wots rong then killing foxes but not hedgehogs then still think its bad vibes though

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SEVERE TRAUMA: The hedgehog shortly before it was put down SEVERE TRAUMA: The hedgehog shortly before it was put down

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