Photo:RSPCA

I started this petition because hedgehogs in the UK are in decline, yet they still do not have the stronger legal protection they urgently need.

For over 14 years, I have supported and rescued hedgehogs in my Norfolk garden. In that time, I’ve seen just how vulnerable they are — not only to habitat loss, road deaths and development, but also, heartbreakingly, to deliberate cruelty and persecution.

One case in particular brought that home in the most horrific way.

In July 2023, in my former home town of Holt, Norfolk, a defenceless hedgehog was brutally mutilated and tortured, leaving him with no chance of survival. It deeply shocked the local community and was a devastating reminder that hedgehogs are still far too easy to harm.

Sadly, that is not the only threat they face.

Hedgehogs are already under pressure from:

-habitat destruction
-fragmented green spaces
-blocked access through fencing
-road accidents
-development
and in some cases, intentional and reckless harm.

They are recognised in England as a Species of Principal Importance, but that still falls far short of the stronger direct legal protection they need. Conservation bodies continue to warn of their decline, while North Norfolk’s planning process also confirms how important proper public consultation is when development proposals come forward.

And recent events here in Overstrand have only reinforced why this petition matters so much.

A local planning application has raised serious concern about how easily wildlife-rich spaces can be underestimated or overlooked. Residents discovered that no planning notice had yet been posted on site, even though the application was already live online. North Norfolk District Council says site notices are part of the consultation process and that the public should normally be given at least 21 days to comment.

That may sound procedural — but it matters.

Because when land is assessed too narrowly, the wider role it plays as hedgehog habitat, shelter and corridor space can be missed entirely.

A rough patch of land, scrubby edge, connected run of gardens, or a simple gap beneath a fence may not look important on paper — but to hedgehogs, these spaces can mean the difference between survival and decline.

This is why I am calling for hedgehogs to be added to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Because a species already in decline should not still be left so vulnerable to:

habitat loss
fragmentation
avoidable harm
and acts of cruelty

Adding hedgehogs to Schedule 5 would provide stronger legal safeguards, help deter cruelty, and send a clear message that harming these animals — or carelessly destroying the spaces they rely on — will not be tolerated.

Hedgehogs need more than public affection.

They need proper legal protection.
👉 Sign and share: change.org/hedgehogpetition

 Thank you, prickly pals.

Maggie Wilcox