Hedgehogs have been left in agony after being caught in cruel rat traps in the North East.
Gateshead hedgehog rescue and rehabilitation organisation, Hope for Hedgehogs Woodside, has issued an urged warning to anyone using sticky glue pads to catch rats after seeing hedgehogs becoming trapped on them.
It comes after a little hedgehog named Jack Sparrow was brought into the 'hogspital' in Ryton in severe pain after becoming stuck on a sticky trap that pulled some of his toes out when he tried to escape. The poor creature also had the skin ripped off his feet and genitals by the horrendous trap.
Hope for Hedgehogs founder and head clinician, Sandra Lowe, said it was so upsetting to see and an "incredibly serious issue for conservation and wildlife" as she called on people to stop using the traps.
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"We are having incredibly sick hogs being brought to us who have been trapped on glue pads used to catch rats," she said.
"It’s an incredibly serious issue for conservation and wildlife.
"We have had one hedgehog that has been brought in stuck on a glue pad and it's taken all the skin off his feet and genitals. The hedgehog is in agony.
"It is really upsetting to see it but there are a few things that people can do to avoid all this harm. I don't think people realise that when they get rat traps that rats aren't the only thing they can catch.
"We want to warn people that when they put out traps to catch rats they can catch hedgehogs as well."
Thankfully, Hope for Hedgehogs confirmed that after a stint in intensive care at the 'hogspital' the injured hedgehog Jack Sparrow is recovering and due to be released soon.
The sanctuary, which is run entirely by volunteers, manages to save around 70% of orphaned or injured hedgehogs that are brought to them before releasing them somewhere safe when they are ready.
However, the organisation is concerned that more hedgehogs will become seriously injured or die as a result of rat traps and the use of slug pellets.
Sandra added: "If people put slug pellets out and a hedgehog eats them, then they are going to die a long and slow death as there is no antidote. But these are all preventable things."
For more information about Hope for Hedgehogs or to donate visit: https://hopeforhedgehogs.co.uk/
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