RSPCA officer responds to call in Leighton Buzzard
The RSPCA is calling on the public to properly discard litter after a hedgehog became stuck in a plastic ring.
RSPCA officer Rachel Edwards responded to a call in Leighton Buzzard last week (6 August), where she found a hoglet with a hosepipe ring around its neck.
“The poor little hoglet had somehow managed to get the ring wedged around his neck,” said Rachel. “It was really tight and was digging into his flesh. He was gasping for air so it was obviously affecting his breathing.”
Rachel discovered the hoglet in a compost bag with two adults and two other babies.
“I’m not sure how the hog managed to end up with the hosepipe washer ring stuck around his neck but I knew I needed to get it off him” she added. "Luckily, I was able to pick the hoglet up and carefully cut the washer from his neck using a pair of pliers.”
Rachel checked the hoglet over and, other than an indentation where the ring had been pressing on his spines, he was otherwise fine. To avoid further stress, she decided to release the hoglet and his family back into the undergrowth.
The RSPCA receives around 14 calls a day relating to animals affected by litter. But because many injured wild animals are never found, the charity says the actual figure of litter injuries is much higher than currently known.
It is now urging the public to tidy away any potentially hazardous objects such as netting and to properly discard of litter in a bid to keep wildlife safe. Anyone who finds an animal in distress should contact the RSPCA’s 24-hour emergency line on 0300 1234 999.
Image (C) RSPCA
RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence. 
