A hedgehog has tragically died after being allegedly thrown around by three schoolgirls who then buried the animal in a pot plant. The creature, affectionately named 'Hedgy', was brought to Haydock Hedgehog Helpers Rescue in Merseyside on Monday evening, where it received painkillers and was placed in an incubator overnight. However, the rescue's head, Kelly, announced the devastating news that Hedgy had passed away.
Incident Details
Lancashire Police are now investigating the incident after locals reported that 'three girls around 10-12 years old were observed throwing the hedgehog down a slide and also throwing him up in the air, causing him to drop to the floor, before deciding to bury him alive'. Two young boys reportedly witnessed the alleged attack by the 'year 7s' at a park near Greenhill Community Hub. They alerted a parent, who joined them in rescuing the animal.
Rescue and Aftermath
Kelly informed concerned locals that Hedgy's body has been sent to the vets for a report, and they will retain it in case the RSPCA wishes to examine it. She added that she believed the hedgehog was already unwell before the alleged attack, noting his temperature and a flystrike near his tail—a fatal condition where flies lay eggs on a sick or injured hedgehog—when he was brought in.
'Instead of finding kind humans to help him, he was instead thrown around like a toy,' Kelly said. 'What's even worse is that if he was very unwell, he would not have been able to curl into a ball to defend himself. Spines also work as shock absorbers when they curl up, and without this protection, who knows what damage these girls have caused.'
She expressed being 'beyond outraged, heartbroken, and disgusted by the actions of those girls'. Kelly later shared that 'a number of individuals have been identified and are actively cooperating with the police'.
Appeal for Compassion
Following backlash against the children on social media, Kelly urged restraint: 'While emotions are understandably high, we must not respond with hatred, threats, or online abuse—especially when children are involved. Whatever the circumstances may ultimately prove to be, intimidation, public shaming, and hateful comments do not help animals, do not help the investigation, and do not help our community. No child is shaped into a better person through fear or public humiliation, but through guidance, accountability, compassion, and love.'
She added: 'We must allow the appropriate people to deal with it properly, and as a community, begin to move forward constructively and compassionately. If there is one positive thing that can come from this tragic situation, I hope it is a wider conversation about teaching children empathy, respect for wildlife, and the importance of kindness toward all living creatures.'
Police Investigation
Lancashire Police told the Daily Mail: 'Our South Rural Task Force are investigating the incident. If anyone has any information about what happened, please contact South Rural Task Force at SouthRTF@lancashire.police.uk or 253@lancashire.police.uk.'
Hedgehogs are considered vulnerable to extinction in the UK, with populations declining in recent years, according to conservation groups.
