While tending to their garden in Wales earlier this week, Nathan Brady and his daughter spotted a spiky little visitor making its way through their yard. To their delight, it was a local hedgehog, seemingly on a casual stroll.
“I quickly pulled out my phone to snap a few pictures,” Brady shared with The Dodo. “They’re usually quite shy and mostly come out at night.”
However, upon closer inspection, they noticed something unusual about this hedgehog — she appeared to be wearing a small pink necklace. It turned out that the “necklace” was actually a plastic bottle cap ring that had become tightly wrapped around the poor animal’s neck.
It seemed like the hedgehog was in need of assistance, and help was on the way. “We fetched some pliers and scissors from the house. The hedgehog was surprisingly calm, allowing us to cut the plastic ring off her neck,” Brady explained. “It was clear that the ring had been there for quite some time since it was really tight.”
As they worked to free her, the hedgehog instinctively curled up into a ball, but with gentle persistence, Brady successfully released her from her distressing situation.
“The hedgehog was incredibly relieved once [the ring] was removed,” Brady said. “She had a quick drink and some dog food before wandering off to resume her hedgehog adventures.”
Before she departed, the grateful hedgehog lingered for a moment near Brady and his daughter, as if to express her gratitude for their intervention.
Brady speculated that the plastic ring had likely hindered the hedgehog’s ability to eat or drink, which could have led to a tragic outcome caused by litter.
“Hopefully, [this story] will help raise awareness about plastic waste and its detrimental effects on wildlife,” he remarked.