A hedgehog rescue charity is urging people to check their gardens before strimming, warning that a few minutes of care could save an animal’s life.
Holderness Hedgehog Hospital said two hedgehogs in its care were left with “very serious head injuries” after being struck by strimmers and “would have died” if the wounds had been any deeper.
Charity trustee Cath Novis said: “It’s an unnecessary thing to happen. It only takes five minutes to check [for hedgehogs].”
Fay Vass, chief executive for British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) said hedgehogs were “in steep decline across the UK” and “just a few simple checks can make a life-saving difference to a hedgehog.”
Novis said the rescue centre currently had about 92 hedgehogs in its care.
She said one of the injured hedgehogs was admitted earlier this year, while another arrived a few weeks ago.
The cases prompted the charity to issue a social media appeal, asking people to check long grass and hedges before using gardening equipment.
“In the case of these two, there’s been a very nasty cut across the skull which has also removed the spines.
“It’s a very, very nasty cut but they are on the mend.”