A hedgehog found spray-painted blue in a suspected attempt to make it look like Sonic the Hedgehog has died after "screaming itself to death," according to a rescue charity.
The adult male hedgehog was discovered by a farmer in a field directly behind Wakefield Police Station in West Yorkshire. The paint had been applied so close to a large area of the animal's back that the chemicals burned through "several" layers of skin and caused its spines to "melt away."
Rescue efforts fail to save the animal
The distressed creature was taken to Castleford Hedgehog Rescue, arriving at roughly 4pm on Tuesday, October 27, but succumbed to its injuries the next morning. Beth Campsill, 29, who runs the charity, described it as the worst case of spray paint-related cruelty she has encountered in her 16 years of experience.
Campsill said: "When the hedgehog was brought to us, he was screaming in pain. I gave the poor thing the maximum pain relief I could, but he didn't stop; he effectively screamed himself to death." She added: "I don't know how anyone could be so cruel to an animal. It is disgusting. I haven't seen anything as bad or as sad as this in a long time."
Cause of death and additional suffering
According to Campsill, the hedgehog's death was caused by an infection brought on by the chemical burns, along with possible poisoning from harmful substances in the paint. The paint left the animal unable to "curl up" into a ball and caused breathing problems due to the fumes.
Some Facebook users suggested the substance could have been an antiseptic spray used for livestock care, but Campsill believes it was a form of spray paint due to its "thick texture" and the way it scorched the skin. She also had to meticulously remove the paint from remaining spines.
Flystrike and population decline
The hedgehog was also afflicted with "flystrike," a condition where flies lay eggs on an animal's wounds and soft tissue, with hatching maggots feeding on and tunnelling into the flesh, according to the RSPCA. Campsill suggested the creature would probably have endured a "slow and ultimately extremely painful death" if left in the wild. She said: "I'm glad he was brought in as it meant at least we could ease his suffering and make him feel comfortable."
Hedgehog numbers are falling sharply across Britain, with the species listed as "vulnerable" on Britain's red list of mammals. The latest State of Britain's Hedgehogs report shows populations have plummeted by as much as 30 per cent in urban areas and 50 per cent in rural locations since the turn of the century.
Campsill plans to report the incident to police, though she remains doubtful whether the culprit will be "held responsible" given the location where the animal was found.
