An animal rescuer is condemning vandals who spray-painted a hedgehog blue, in what is believed to be a misguided tribute to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog.
The male hedgehog was discovered outside a police station in West Yorkshire, UK, and brought to Castleford Hedgehog Rescue on Tuesday, October 27. According to reports, the spray paint caused severe chemical burns, melting the animal's spines and inflicting extreme pain.
Beth Campbell, who runs the rescue, stated that despite efforts to alleviate its suffering with pain relief, the hedgehog "screamed himself to death." The burns were so extensive that they caused infection, and potential poisoning from the chemicals is also believed to have contributed to its death. Campbell described the cruelty as "disgusting."
The rescue group posted a tribute on Facebook, detailing the hedgehog's final moments: "As a result of cruelty our poor boy has passed away. This has deeply affected our volunteers and myself as he laid screaming in pain, he was given the full amount of pain relief he could have."
Campbell intends to report the incident to the police, though she expressed uncertainty about whether any action can be taken. No arrests have been made, and authorities have not yet commented on the matter.
Compounding the tragedy, the hedgehog was also suffering from flystrike, a condition where flies lay eggs in open wounds, leading to maggot infestation. The rescue stated that even without the spray paint, the animal likely would have endured a "slow and ultimately and extremely painful death" in the wild.
Hedgehogs are classified as vulnerable for extinction in the UK, with populations having declined significantly since 2000 due to factors including habitat loss and expanding human activity. The species is listed as nearly threatened globally.