This week, the East Dom 1 team came across a vulnerable baby hedgehog on the roadside whilst on their collection round in Winsford. Loader Terry Clark saved the lethargic hoglet and kept it safe in a box inside the cab. Subsequently, the crew organised with East Dom 06 to deliver the hedgehog to Northwich Hedgehog Rescue. Experienced caretaker Helen from the centre has since taken over his care.
Helen has expressed gratitude for the crew’s kindness, citing that the hoglet was too young to be away from its mother and may not have survived without their intervention.
The hedgehog, named Dusty in honour of his rescuers' profession, is recuperating well and is already gaining weight. When healthy and eating well, these small animals usually gain around 20 grams of weight each day. On the day of his rescue, Dusty weighed little more than 400 grams; hedgehogs typically remain with their mothers until they weigh at least 650 grams.
When large enough, Dusty will be released into the care of the foundation’s foster carers who will continue to feed and nurture him alongside other rescued hedgehogs.
We would like to congratulate teams East Dom 1 and East Dom 6 for their actions.
To find out more about Northwich Hedgehog Rescue, follow their page on Facebook. To donate toward Dusty’s continued care, head to the centre’s Go Fund Me page.
