Thousands of hedgehogs at wildlife rescue centre fed and happy thanks to donations
Over three thousand hedgehogs have been fed at Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue Centre in the past year thanks to Spike's Hedgehog Food's donations and a £25,000 financial boost.
The centre, which forms part of the Amazing Grace the Hedgehog campaign, receives a percentage from each sale of Spike's Hedgehog Food, alongside food donations, to help feed and accommodate the hedgehogs. They also fund education and awareness campaigns across the country.
The support has been a welcome relief for the centre during COVID-19 in particular, with dwindling donations as a result of usual fundraising activity being put on hold and people's priorities changing.
It also follows reports that British hedgehogs are officially vulnerable to extinction. The Red List conservation report, which was conducted by the Mammal Society, explains that the spiky creatures could be at risk of dying out completely if we don't take drastic action to prevent their numbers dropping.
Chief Executive of the Save Me Trust, who run the Amazing Grace the Hedgehog campaign and Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue, Anne Brummer said: "We're really struggling and the donations have come at just the right time, right in the middle of hoglet birthing season.
"At the moment, we're looking after 133 hedgehogs, eight nursing hedgehog mums and their babies – it's a lot more mouths to feed!
"Over two-dozen people who usually volunteer with us have had to stop coming in, and I’ve been working 18-hour days to try and get everything done. Without the donations from Spike’s, it would have been a huge struggle for us, let alone for the hedgehogs.
"What's great is that we're able to give the hedgehogs the nutritious, specialist hedgehog food that they need. A lot of places are forced to use dog or cat food, which causes them to lose their spines or for their fur condition to worsen."
Lizzie Jennings, wildlife expert at Spike's, added: “With British hedgehog populations on the decline for a number of decades now, it’s essential that rescue centres such as these have the resources they need so they can continue helping wildlife across the country.
"The care they provide for local hedgehogs, and other wild animal species, is invaluable, and without people like Anne dedicating their lives to protecting these animals, they’d be in serious danger of extinction.
"If you want to help hedgehog populations in your area, try leaving out some hedgehog food and water and if you see one in need of urgent medical care, bring them to your local hedgehog rescue."
Lancashire-based Spike’s Hedgehog Food launched 21-years-ago as the first specialist hedgehog food producer in the UK and has been carefully developed to provide a naturally nutritious range of food for wild hedgehogs. Spike's products are available from Pets at Home, The Range and Pets Corner, as well as online at www.spikesfood.co.uk - with the popular Starter Bundle available from £10.
Looking to help the hedgehogs? Take a look at the various things you can do below that will make a huge difference:
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