Help look out for tiny hedgehogs this autumn (From Hereford Times)

Help look out for tiny hedgehogs this autumn

8:40am Monday 15th October 2012 in News By Lydia Johnson

A PLEA has gone out for people in Herefordshire to look out for prickly paws this autumn.

Ron Wall, who runs the Leominster Hedgehog Rescue, has taken in 22 of the small animals in the past week alone.

Ron, from Shobdon, says hedgehogs old enough to be away from their mothers but too small to hibernate are most at risk in the autumn as they don’t weigh enough for them to survive the big seasonal sleep.

Despite having a full time job at Apex Motor Parts in Hereford, Ron says he loves caring for the animals with his wife Lynne.

He said: “It all started when I was travelling home from work one night and came by a dead hedgehog at the side of the road. I then saw two more live ones running along the road ahead of me so I put them in my pockets and took them home.

“Since then I’ve been caring for the hedgehogs before releasing them in to the wild. I do it all voluntarily and out of my own pocket . You have to do it because you love them, and you do get attached to them and don’t want to let them go.

“People can help by leaving food out for them – they eat cat or dog food – and a shallow bowl of water.”