Hi HedgieLover
Wildlife Hospitals, etc. should be doing all they can to ensure that hogs are released where they came from. That, as I see it, is why that leaftlet was produced, because some of them weren’t – to the detriment of the hedgehogs as a whole – albeit inadvertently.
If any hedgehogs here have needed help, I have always delivered them and collected them from the Wildlife Hospital. But I think, if you don’t have transport they will probably deliver it back. I think many of these places have volunteers who will do some collecting/delivering. But also, you might find that there is a hedgehog carer nearer to you, who might be able to deal with over-wintering if not injuries, etc. You can find out from BHPS. But I would advise doing the best you can to deliver and collect to save them the trouble.
The point is that if hedgehogs are released other than where they came from it could not only put that individual hog at risk – because it would be completely disoriented, etc – but also the existing population. Different populations may have different immunities, etc, which they have built up over time. A hedgehog newly introduced into an area may introduce disease, which was previously not there – that sort of thing.
Also, there will be a certain number of hedgehogs in a certain area because that is the level of hedgehogs the local habitat can support. If other hedgehogs are introduced, that could tip the natural balance and cause hardship to the existing population as well as the introduced hedgehogs.
If you do have the misfortune to have a hedgehog which needs help, I would have the discussion with them and make sure you can have the hedgehog back to release where you picked it up from. You can always print off a copy of that leaflet and give it to them as a back up. If you can, volunteer to collect it, when it’s fit for release.
Having said that, I just hope that everyone is understanding of what hedgehog rescues have to deal with. It seems some people have unrealistic expectations. Not every hog can be saved however much time and trouble is taken over them. This is understandably very upsetting for the person who took the hog for help, but I believe is sometimes taken out on the very people who were trying to help that hog – who are likely to have been upset and disappointed themselves. Sadly, there also seems to be an endless supply of hogs (and other wild animals) needing help, so a Wildlife Hospital’s work is never done.
Good luck with the hogs there. Hopefully they will remain fit and healthy and not need that sort of help.
