I have good news and sad news…

First the good news: over 8200 hedgehog champions have signed the petition. You are all amazing folks. Thank you for signing & sharing on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Instagram, WhatsApp, by email & text or the old fashioned way, telling your friends and family face to face to step up.

My other petition https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/643081 is lagging behind now. If that petition reaches 10,000 then the UK government is required by law to respond and at 100,000 there would be a parliamentary debate. Wouldn’t that be absolutely hogtastic. You could then lobby your MP to attend the debate and speak up for hedgehogs in your constituency. You’ll soon find out which politicians are willing to talk the talk and walk the walk. Please sign & share that one also.

Now the sad news: the horrific case of the torture & mutilation of a hedgehog in my former home, Holt, has been closed with no leads and no arrests.  https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2023-09-30/hunt-for-horrific-hedgehog-torturer-hits-dead-end  The perpetrator(s) of this heinous wildlife crime is still at large and that makes me fear for the safety of other wildlife in the town as well as elsewhere in North Norfolk.

Sadly another hedgehog died this week after being kicked to death by a group of 5 youths in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. I do despair. https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23819088.youths-identified-hedgehog-killed-bury-st-edmunds/

Now, more than ever, hedgehogs need greater legal protection.

Thank you, pricklypals for your ongoing support.

Maggie Wilcox